Chandrababu Naidu Confident of Electoral Success Following Alliance Agreement with BJP

In a significant development for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been actively pursuing an expansion of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to achieve its target of securing 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party has formally solidified an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) in Andhra Pradesh.

TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, in an announcement on Friday, confirmed the sealing of the alliance, expressing confidence that the coalition would dominate the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, expected to coincide with the Lok Sabha polls.

“Andhra Pradesh has suffered greatly. The collaboration between the BJP and the TDP is a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the nation and the state,” remarked the former chief minister, as reported by the news agency PTI.

Shortly after Naidu’s statement, BJP President JP Nadda extended a warm welcome to the TDP and the JSP into the NDA fold through a post on social media platform X.

“I extend a heartfelt welcome to the decision of Shri @ncbn (Chandrababu Naidu’s handle) and (JSP chief) Shri @PawanKalyan to join the NDA family. Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji, BJP, TDP, and JSP are committed to the progress of the country and the betterment of Andhra Pradesh,” Nadda affirmed in the post.

I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of Shri @ncbn and Shri @PawanKalyan to join the NDA family. Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji, BJP, TDP, and JSP are committed to the progress of the country and the upliftment of the state and…

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (Modi Ka Parivar) (@JPNadda) March 9, 2024

A joint statement released by the three parties underscored the longstanding relationship between the TDP and the BJP.

“The BJP and TDP share a deep-rooted alliance. TDP became a part of NDA in 1996 and has since collaborated successfully during the administrations of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi. In 2014, TDP and BJP jointly contested the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections,” the statement highlighted.

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Naidu and Kalyan held discussions with senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, leading to a consensus after intensive negotiations. Reports indicate that while the BJP aimed to contest 10 out of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh, the TDP asserted its position as the primary opposition party in the state.

The agreed-upon formula allocates 17 Lok Sabha seats to the TDP, six to the BJP, and two to the JSP. Specific constituencies for each party will be determined following a visit by a BJP delegation to Andhra Pradesh.

Changing Equations

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had been a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) until 2018, when then-Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Naidu decided to withdraw from the coalition due to disagreements over financial support for the state. For Naidu’s party, the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds critical significance this time around, particularly following a significant defeat at the hands of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by Jagan Mohan Reddy in 2019.

In the 2019 elections, the YSRCP secured victory in 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats and 151 out of 175 Assembly constituencies, while the TDP managed to win only three Lok Sabha seats and 23 Assembly constituencies.

The newly forged alliance also signifies a strategic shift for the BJP, which has received support from the YSRCP on various occasions, particularly in the passage of bills in the Rajya Sabha. Although this move may bolster the BJP’s presence in the southern states, where it is perceived to be relatively weak, it reflects a departure from previous political alignments.

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With just 29 out of 130 Lok Sabha constituencies secured in the region in 2019, the BJP recognizes the imperative to significantly improve its electoral performance to achieve its target of winning 370 seats independently and securing 400 for the NDA.

Meanwhile, the Congress, which also faced a dismal outcome in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, is aiming for a stronger showing this time. The party has enlisted the support of YS Sharmila, sister of Jagan Mohan Reddy, in its bid to enhance its electoral prospects. Buoyed by recent successes in the Telangana and Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress anticipates that these victories will resonate in other southern states as well.