It is more or less confirmed that the Jana Sena Party led by power star Pawan Kalyan would be entering into an electoral alliance with the Telugu Desam Party headed by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for the upcoming elections to Andhra Pradesh assembly.
Though they have not yet openly announced the alliance as yet, sources said both Naidu and Pawan have already begun talks for seat sharing in some districts and have to come to an understanding for select seats.
It was only after arriving at an understanding that Pawan Kalyan announced the candidature of former assembly speaker and Jana Sena Party political affairs committee chairman Nadendla Manohar as the party candidate for Tenali assembly seat.
“The contest is ours and the seat is ours,” Pawan Kalyan said at a meeting of party leaders on Tuesday. He told them that the victory of Manohar would be essential as he is the key leader for the party.
So, former minister and senior TDP leader Alapati Rajendra Prasad, who represented Tenali in the past, will have to sacrifice his seat for Manohar. He may have to move to another seat or wait for a good opportunity at the mercy of Naidu.
Similarly, the TDP and Jana Sena Party are learnt to have come to an understanding on the seven assembly segments falling under Vijayawada parliamentary constituency.
At present, Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency is represented by Kesineni Nani, but he has turned a virtual rebel against the party. Unless there is a sort of patch-up between Nani and Naidu in the last minute, the TDP ticket for Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat would be given to Nani’s brother Kesineni Chinni.
Sources said Pawan Kalyan had agreed to the proposal of Naidu to leave the Vijayawada seat to the TDP and Jana Sena would extend support to the TDP candidate.
Similarly, the TDP has decided to leave Vijayawada (west) assembly seat to Jana Sena Party, which is planning to field Pothina Mahesh from there. The seat is presently represented by YSRCP candidate Vellampalli Srinivas.
Though the TDP was planning to field former MLA Jaleel Khan or his daughter from Vijayawada (west), Naidu decided that the seat would be given to Jana Sena candidate.
In all the other assembly seats, Jana Sena would extend support to the TDP candidates or might ask for one more assembly seat, sources said.
