Naidu called on Amit Shah to discuss alliance with BJP

VIJAYAWADA: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu has called on Union home minister Amit Shah at his residence in New Delhi late on Wednesday night.

Though Naidu wanted to meet Shah to discuss the TD-JS alliance with AP BJP in the ensuing elections in Andhra Pradesh, it was not known what transpired between both of them during their brief meeting. Moreover, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan is also going to Delhi on Thursday to join the talks with BJP top leadership.

The TD chief reached New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon. He is staying at the residence of senior Telugu Desam leader Galla Jayadev.

According to TD sources, Naidu, in his talks with Amit Shah, will also work out details of on seat sharing with AP BJP.

Telugu Desam and Jana Sena have almost arrived at an understanding on seat sharing under which the TD will leave for JS 25–32 seats. The remaining of the total 175 Assembly seats will be contested by TD.

Once TD-JS forms an alliance with AP BJP, alliance partners will accommodate BJP nominees in the remaining seats. So far, both the TD and JS have officially announced two Assembly seats each, TD contesting from Mandapeta and Araku while JS from Razole and Rajanagaram.

AP BJP president Daggubati Purandeswari has been maintaining since long that their national leadership will take a final decision on the party’s alliance with TD at an appropriate time. BJP’s top leadership has called Naidu to meet Amit Shah. The national leadership of BJP is then likely to decide on seat sharing in AP.

Though there has been speculation on BJP seeking certain Assembly and Lok Sabha seats, there has been no official announcement from the party national leadership so far.

BJP sources say the BJP national leadership knows in which Assembly / Lok Sabha seats its nominees can fare well in Andhra Pradesh.

In case the BJP national leadership okays the alliance between AP BJP and TD-JS combo, the TD will become a member in BJP-led NDA. JS is already a member of the NDA.

BJP national leadership is aiming to win nearly 360 seats in Lok Sabha on its own and about 400 in alliance with other parties in the upcoming polls. It is looking to rope in political leaders with national appeal into the NDA and strengthen it further.