In a significant development related to the BJP-Jana Sena Party (JSP) alliance in Andhra Pradesh (AP), JSP president Pawan Kalyan and his party’s political affairs committee chairman Nadendla Manohar will attend the NDA meeting being held in New Delhi on July 18.
Mr. Kalyan received an invitation to take part in the deliberations of the constituents of the BJP-led ruling coalition, according to a JSP release.
It may be noted that the BJP and JSP forged an alliance in January 2020, and it took off with the formation of a coordination committee, tasked with taking the partnership forward.
Mr. Kalyan had said a strong BJP at the Centre was essential for the development of Andhra Pradesh and that was the reason for him joining hands with the national party.
However, their relationship has, of late, been strained as Mr. Kalyan started feeling that the BJP had let down the people of A.P. in implementing the assurances contained in the AP Reorganization Act of 2014.
Also, he did not mince words in commenting that he is not happy with the manner in which the BJP conducted itself as an alliance partner in the State. Mr. Kalyan went to the extent of saying that the JSP would not hesitate to contest the 2024 elections on its own, if it is forced to do so.
On the other hand, the BJP maintained that its alliance with the JSP was intact and they would go to the polls together.
Now, the direction in which the BJP-JSP alliance in Andhra Pradesh may be headed depends on what transpires in the deliberations on July 18, amidst intense speculation that the JSP chief had made up his mind to go with the TDP.
