BJP faces dilemma in AP ahead of 2024 polls

New Delhi: For a party which fetched less than one per cent of votes in Andhra Pradesh in the last Lok Sabha polls, the BJP finds itself in a rather sweet spot in the State ahead of the 2024 general elections as the two main regional parties vie with each other to keep it on their side.

While the Telugu Desam Party wants an alliance with the BJP, the state’s ruling YSR Congress is keen that the national party go solo in the coming polls like in the 2019 elections, sources in the two regional parties said.

With the state’s minority votes of Muslims and Christians seen as a solid base of the YSR Congress, its leaders are of the view that an electoral alliance with the BJP will not suit their party but have noted its backing to the Modi government’s agenda in Parliament to underline its unquestioned support. “The BJP has had differences with its poll allies but never with us. Our leader (Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy) has maintained good ties with the BJP leadership and has backed them wholeheartedly without seeking any share in power,” YSR Congress leader said.

The BJP on its part is mulling its options, with a section of state leaders keen for an alliance with former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP as they believe that is the only way they can hope to win some seats and motivate their cadres. Lok Sabha and assembly polls are held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh. The TDP following its alliance with actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party is hopeful of a strong show against the YSR Congress but the state’s ruling party has been electorally dominant in the last five years, riding on a slew of welfare schemes it has implemented for different demographics. TDP sources claimed that Reddy’s governance model bear a lot of resemblance with BRS leader K Chandrashekar Rao.