Kakinada: Chief Minister and TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu’s strategy to go for an alliance with his strong opposition Congress in Andhra Pradesh may split the vote bank of YSR Congress. The TD leaders are discussing the alliance in inner circles.
According to sources, the Telugu Desam-Congress alliance has triggered widespread speculation and debate in Andhra Pradesh as the two parties have been opposing each other ever since the formation of TD in 1982. However, it is said that under the prevailing political circumstances, both the parties need to go for an alliance both at the state-level and national- level.
The TD is on the back foot as YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been aggressively going round the state and attracting people to his padayatra. He also raised the issue of Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh and he is having a strong hold in the Schedule Caste community. In fact, the Congress used to get the Dalits’ vote bank. But after the bifurcation, the Dalits left the Congress and have been supporting the YSR Congress.
At present, the Congress has no strong vote bank. However, the Schedule Caste people are also rethinking and observing the political changes in the state. “The TD-Congress alliance would benefit the two parties and the TD’s victory will be cakewalk in the coming elections. At the same time, the Congress may gain to some extent with the alliance,” SC/ST Commissioner Karem Sivaji said.
He said that at present, the Dalits are in a dilemma about whether they should render support to Jagan Mohan Reddy or not since it is clear that Jagan can’t assume power. The new alliance may give a new breath for the Dalits and also the Congress and TD as the Dalit votes may be split for the Congress and YSRC.
However, former Union minister M.M. Palllam Raju said that he had not thought about the alliance related to Andhra Pradesh. “The present alliance is only for national issues and Telangana state elections, but not for Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
However, he said that Dalits should rethink their decision to go for YSR Congress as Jagan has eyes on Bharatiya Janata Party.
Meanwhile, some of the Congress leaders could not digest the alliance with the Telugu Desam.
JS expects to gain with TD- Cong tie-up
Jana Sena leaders are expecting that the alliance between the Telugu Desam and Congress may give a boost to Jana Sena in the coming elections. Already, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has lashed out at Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that the alliance with the Congress has deeply hurt the Telugu people and it kills the ‘self-respect of Telugu people’.
According to sources, the party leaders want to take up the Telugus self-respect slogan which had once given a boost to former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao. “Some of the MLAs of TD in East and West Godavari districts have begun discussions with Jana Sena leaders, in the aftermath of the alliance between Congress and TD, due to their political future. But the party would take a decision on it in a proper manner,” a Jana Sena leader said.
He said that youth and women from all sections of the society are rendering their own support to Pawan Kalyan. Mr Kalyan made success through his speeches and keeps up trust and confidence of the people, for a political change in the state.
