The hot topic in Andhra politics these days is the possible alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the YSR Congress party in the 2019 elections.
Though there was a talk of such an alliance last year itself, it gained credence after YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy told a national media channel that he was ready to join hands with the BJP, provided the NDA government grants special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The manner in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given appointments to YSRC MPs, while ignoring the Telugu Desam Party, has also added to the speculations.
Since then, Jagan has become a target for the ruling TDP, whose relations with the BJP have been straining of late. TDP leaders, including chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, have openly alleged that the NDA was cold-shouldering Andhra Pradesh only because of its new-found love with the YSRC.
During the war of words between the TDP and the BJP, too, this topic has been surfacing now and then.
BJP minister in Naidu cabinet P Manikyala Rao, who has turned a bitter critic of the TDP of late, even declared that the BJP cares a damn if the TDP breaks the alliance.
“The moment the TDP breaks the alliance, there is another party which is ready to join the NDA,” he said, indicating the alliance with the YSRC.
However, on Wednesday, another BJP minister in Naidu cabinet Kamineni Srinivas ruled out the alliance between the BJP and the YSRC.
“It is just not possible. How can a sincere and honest Prime Minister like Narendra Modi allow a corrupt leader like Jagan? Irrespective of whether the TDP-BJP alliance continues or not, the BJP will never join hands with Jagan,” he said.
Kamineni’s statement has given rise to doubts whether he will continue in the BJP if the latter forges alliance with the YSRC.
Already there is a talk that Kamineni is more intimate to the TDP than the BJP. Who knows he might even join the TDP later!
