Jana Sena, BJP tie up in Andhra, vow to emerge as alternative to YSRCP, TDP

The Jana Sena Party headed by popular Telugu film actor Pawan Kalyan formally forged an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and vowed to build a third political force in the state as an alternative to the ruling YSR Congress party and main opposition Telugu Desam (TDP).

Pawan Kalyan, who met BJP national working president J P Nadda in New Delhi on Monday, held talks with the BJP leaders from Andhra at a hotel in Vijayawada to work out a joint political strategy in the state.

Addressing a press conference later, the Jana Sena chief said people were looking at a third alternative to the YSRC and the TDP and the new alliance would fulfil their aspirations. “We are confident that the Jana Sena-BJP combine will form the next government in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

Stating that his party had decided to work together with the BJP in the larger interest of the state Pawan Kalyan said, “Our alliance will begin with the local body elections in the state next month and will continue till the next general elections.”

He said the alliance would work towards ending dynasty politics and corrupt, tyrannical rule in the state. “The YSR Congress party government has miserably failed to live up to the expectations of the people and destroyed their dream capital of Amaravati,” he said.

Stating that he only had a communication gap with the BJP in the past, the Jana Sena chief said he owed nothing to the Communist parties with which he had an alliance during the last elections.

BJP general secretary in-charge of Andhra affair Sunil Deodhar said it was a historic day in Andhra politics. He alleged that former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and present chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had miserably failed to provide good governance to the state. “We shall put an end to dynasty and corrupt politics in the state,” he said.

He made it clear that Jana Sena would be the only alliance partner of the BJP and that there was no question of having any understanding with the TDP or the YSR Congress party in any manner.

BJP national spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said the BJP-Jana Sena combine would work towards overhauling state politics. “We shall emerge as an alternative political force in Andhra Pradesh. In many states, the BJP started with a clean slate and captured power later. You are going to see a similar revolution in AP in the coming years,” he said.

While the TDP preferred to remain tight-lipped over the Jana Sena-BJP alliance, YSRC official spokesperson and MLA Ambati Rambabu said it didn’t make any difference in state politics, as both Jana Sena and the BJP were insignificant forces that hardly influenced the electorate in the state.

“It is very natural for political parties to forge alliances. So, the YSRC does not attach much importance to it,” he said.