In run-up to simultaneous Assembly & Lok Sabha polls, YSRCP and TDP in touch with BJP for alliance
Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh, both the ruling YSRCP and its rival TDP are in touch with the BJP to explore political alliances, though no concrete announcement has emerged so far. On February 8, TDP supremo and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu met senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah late at night in New Delhi, setting off speculation that they negotiated a possible political alliance. Both parties are yet to announce a tie-up.
A source told PTI that «TDP and BJP are forming an alliance» which could be announced in a few days' time.
Though TDP was planning to release its list of election candidates by February 10, the source observed that it got delayed due to the alliance talks.
Following Naidu's meeting, back channel consultations are still going on with the BJP to seal the deal, the source added.
According to Tirunagari Jyoshna, a TDP spokesperson, the list of candidates was likely to be announced by February 20.
Telakapalli Ravi, a political analyst, noted that Naidu was pretty clear when he told a few journalists recently that 80 percent TDP candidates were zeroed in on, which implied that he may accommodate allies only for the rest of the Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies.
"...it is clear, he wants to go with BJP and without BJP it is difficult," he observed.
Jyoshna highlighted that TDP and BJP have an impressive legacy of winning elections together.
«Principles-wise we (TDP and BJP) have more or less the same line of thought, that is the reason why we could
