Alliance issues dominate Amit Shah-Naidu meet

Both leaders agree that they should not allow dissenting voices to rock the boat further

’All is well’: A.P. CM Chandrababu Naidu and BJP national president Amit Shah in Vijayawada. Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Suresh Prabhu are also seen.

The misgivings on the TDP-BJP alliance appeared to have been far from dispelled even as BJP national president Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu exchanged candid views over a lunch hosted by the latter at his residence on Thursday.

Mr. Shah and Mr. Naidu reportedly acknowledged the need to keep the alliance going, and not let dissenting voices rock the boat further.

BJP’s criticism of TDP

However, there were comments from senior BJP leaders which questioned the very purpose of the alliance. In the morning, Kavuri Sambasiva Rao told the media: “I apprised Mr. Shah of the TDP’s falling graph.” Another leader, Somu Veerraju, said he had explained to Mr. Shah the “situation in which the BJP had found itself in A.P.”

Wrapping up his visit, Mr. Shah said in the booth committee members’ meeting he wanted the BJP to emerge as the strongest in A.P. among the South Indian States, in what seemed like a hint at wanting to grow independent of his ally.