Is the BJP in Telangana planning to enter into a secret deal with the BJP? The straws in the wind and the fly on the wall point to that, say political pundits. They feel that the BJP is seriously thinking of taking Chandrababu Naidu's help to get support of the Andhra settlers, especially those from the Kamma community. If sources are to be believed, the BJP leaders have already opened channels with the TDP boss.
Political watchers say that Modi has talked to Chandrababu on the sidelines of the all-party meeting on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with this end in view. The BJP feels that the TDP can still sway between 5 to 7 per cent voters in settler-dominated areas like Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Medchal Malkajgiri, western Hyderabad, Shadnagar best and Khammam district. The TDP has considerable support in the areas abutting AP in Nalgonda and Kodad belt. The TDP still holds sway over the Kamma population in Telangana.
However, the BJP may not openly enter into any alliance with the TDP as it could become counter-productive. The party sources say that the TDP as it could become counter-productive. The party sources say that they are aware of what happened to the Congress Party when it entered into alliance with the TDP during the 2018 elections. So, a secret understanding is what the BJP is probably looking at.
Sources say that as a quid pro quo, the BJP would put up weak candidates against the TDP in Andhra Pradesh. This too is likely to be a secret alliance and not an open one. This will help in transferring BJP votes in urban centres to the TDP and thus defeat the YSRCP, say sources. One needs to, however, wait for some more time for this strategy to fall into place, say sources.
Political watchers say that Modi has talked to Chandrababu on the sidelines of the all-party meeting on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with this end in view. The BJP feels that the TDP can still sway between 5 to 7 per cent voters in settler-dominated areas like Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Medchal Malkajgiri, western Hyderabad, Shadnagar best and Khammam district. The TDP has considerable support in the areas abutting AP in Nalgonda and Kodad belt. The TDP still holds sway over the Kamma population in Telangana.
However, the BJP may not openly enter into any alliance with the TDP as it could become counter-productive. The party sources say that the TDP as it could become counter-productive. The party sources say that they are aware of what happened to the Congress Party when it entered into alliance with the TDP during the 2018 elections. So, a secret understanding is what the BJP is probably looking at.
Sources say that as a quid pro quo, the BJP would put up weak candidates against the TDP in Andhra Pradesh. This too is likely to be a secret alliance and not an open one. This will help in transferring BJP votes in urban centres to the TDP and thus defeat the YSRCP, say sources. One needs to, however, wait for some more time for this strategy to fall into place, say sources.