If one were to go by the reports coming from political circles in New Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre might announce special category status to Andhra Pradesh just before 2019 elections.
The BJP, which is looking for an opportune time to sever ties with the Telugu Desam Party, is said to be eyeing at least a dozen MP seats in Andhra Pradesh by forging an alliance with the YSR Congress party.
However, YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has put a condition that if the NDA does not grant special category status to AP, he would not like to join hands with the BJP.
So, the only option left before the BJP is to make an announcement that it would grant special category status to AP after coming to power at the Centre again in 2019 elections.
It may do it only after breaking the alliance with the TDP and immediately, joining hands with the YSRC.
And sources say Jagan is ready to give allocate 15 MP seats to the BJP as part of alliance and a limited number of MLA seats. It will be acceptable to the BJP, since its aim is to get maximum number of MP seats from south.
Apparently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indicated to this to Jagan during their meeting a few months ago.
Jagan told Modi that he was ready to join hands with the BJP, provided it granted special category status to AP.
If there is an alliance without securing the promise on SCS, he will lose the face among the people and they will not vote for the alliance.
“The response from Modi was positive. I am confident he will grant special status. If it happens, we will work with the BJP,” Jagan said in an interview to Sakshi.
What will Naidu do then? First, he cannot go back to the demand of SCS in the final moments, because he has been telling the people that he had accepted for special package and that the special category status issue was a closed chapter.
Since he did not get the SCS, nor was he able to get the package fully, he will be on the defensive.
And he cannot continue to have an alliance with the BJP, since he can’t offer so many MP seats like Jagan. And that’s the end of Babu!
