YS Jagan’s ‘dharna’ in Delhi initially did not spark much enthusiasm among the national media. Besides, Jagan does not have the kind of friendships across the political spectrum that Chandrababu Naidu has.
The reason for this is that Jagan believes in centralization whereas Chandrababu has always understood the need for consensus-building in politics.
But Jagan’s protest against the violence in Andhra Pradesh against YSRCP cadre and sympathisers by the TDP picked up momentum when various alliance partners of the INDIA bloc visited him and expressed solidarity with him.
Prominent among those were Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Thirumavalavan of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Sanjay Raut from the Uddhav Thackera –led Shiv Sena. The VCK actually requested Jagan to become a formal member of the India bloc.
YS Jagan has always supported the NDA in Parliament because of the pending cases against him but with the TDP in a formal alliance with the NDA now, Jagan might see the NDA’s support for him dwindle.
Besides, the Congress Party knows his ability and the fact that despite his recent electoral debacle, his vote bank share still stood at a solid 40 percent. The swing vote in favour of TDP-Jana Sena and BJP made all the difference.
It is unlikely that Akhilesh and others would have visited Jagan without approval from the Congress High Command.
The Congress Party cannot directly approach Jagan as his estranged sister Sharmila who is a bitter critic of Jagan is now the Andhra Congress President. But if Jagan were to join the Congress, it would be a huge shot in the arm for the Congress in Andhra Pradesh.
Of course, this might mean that Jagan will have to go to jail again but then, he has always been a fighter and imprisoning him might actually get him back the sympathy of the people of Andhra Pradesh.
While Jagan’s future plans are unclear as of now, the Congress seems to be leaving no stone unturned in wooing him.
Another reason why the INDIA bloc expressed its support for Jagan could be the Budget which is being seen as highly impartial to all the States at the expense of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. In this way, they might have taken out some of their anger on the TDP.
Prior to the Lok Sabha elections, it was expected to be a one-sided match in favour of the BJP, its anybody’s game, now.
