Andhra Assembly polls 2014: Chief Minister row to hit BJP, TDP tie-up talks in Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad: Like the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the Bharatiya Janata Party is also targeting the chief minister’s post in Telangana state. Just as the TRS had demanded the chief minister’s post and a majority of Assembly seats if it was to enter into an alliance with the Congress, the BJP is putting a similar demand to the Telugu Desam if it wants an alliance.
Actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan’s strong anti-Congress stance and his support to the BJP, as well as the Modi factor has emboldened the BJP to bargain for more seats in its alliance with the TDP.
The alliance between the TRS and Congress did not materialise because both parties wanted their candidate to be Chief Minister. It’s the same situation with the TDP and the BJP. The TRS had demanded 65 Assembly seats; the BJP wants 65 to 70 Assembly seats.
Moreover, the Telangana BJP leaders are not in favour of an alliance with the TDP since they believe they have enough credit with the voters in Telangana to go it alone. Combine this with the Modi wave and the support of Pawan Kalyan, and they believe they will be able to get a good number of seats on their own.
A Telangana BJP leader said, “We want the chief minister’s post in Telangana state because in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, the TDP is claiming the chief minister’s post. It is not correct that the TDP is giving seats to us; we are giving seats to the TDP. We want to contest a majority of seats in Telangana state. The TDP must decide whether it wants an alliance with the BJP or not. We can contest on our own.”
Some BJP leaders have said that the TDP is not a reliable friend going by its past record (the TDP was part of the BJP-led NDA government at the centre). The TDP leaders claim that their party has a strong cadre throughout Telangana and that the BJP is very weak expect in some pockets. Discussions between the BJP and TDP on a possible alliance have not started. But whenever it does start, the main tussle will be the Chief Minister’s post
