AP BJP feels being slighted by Pawan Kalyan

Vijayawada: The state BJP feels being slighted at the way its political ally Jana Sena is holding a series of meetings with its new ally, the Telugu Desam, in preparation for the 2024 general elections.

A few days ago, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, along with Union minister and Telangana BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy met the Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi to discuss modalities for a combined campaign by the BJP and the JS in TS. But, as for AP, there is no such move. Pawan Kalyan keeps saying it would be good if the “BJP also joins the JS-TD alliance” in AP. JS was a constituent of the NDA.

BJP leaders are perplexed as the JS chief is creating a lot of confusion as regards its alliance with the BJP in AP while he is cozying up to Telugu Desam. Both JS and TD are set to release a joint manifesto and leaders from both the parties are holding a series of meetings.

BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, said, “We are working to strengthen our party at the grassroots level and at the organisational level. We hope our top leadership will take a decision on the BJP-JS alliance at an appropriate time, as was done in Telangana.”

Pawan Kalyan had unilaterally announced his party’s alliance with the Telugu Desam. BJP senior leader P.V.N. Madhav said, “It was unfair on the part of Pawan Kalyan to take decisions on such important matters without consulting the BJP leaders.”

The BJP top leadership is preoccupied with the polls in five states including TS in the coming weeks and hence paid little attention to AP so far.

BJP leader Vishnu Vardhan said, “We will go by the national leadership’s decision on AP BJP’s alliance with others at an appropriate time. We are currently making efforts to strengthen our party in the state to face the polls.” A section of the BJP leaders and cadre are up in arms against Pawan Kalyan and said he ignored the BJP.