Pawan Kalyan discusses strengthening of BJP-JSP alliance in Andhra Pradesh with Union Minister

NEW DELHI: Jana Sena Party (JSP) President Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday has discussed the ways on strengthening the tie-up between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) in Andhra Pradesh with Union Minister and BJP’s in-charge for Andhra Pradesh affairs V Muraleedharan.

He called on the minister at his residence in New Delhi. Pawan Kalyan was in the nation’s capital and he participated in the BJP-led NDA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

The JSP Chief’s meeting with Muraleedharan gained prominence in political circles a day after Pawan Kalyan hinted at the chances of the JSP-BJP-TDP alliance in Andhra Pradesh in the upcoming Assembly elections. Taking to Twitter, Muraleedharan said that he was delighted to host Pawan Kalyan at his residence in New Delhi. During the meeting, discussions were held to further strengthen the BJP and JSP alliance in Andhra Pradesh, he said.

Pawan Kalyan reportedly lobbied for an alliance for the BJP-JSP combine with the Telugu Desam Party as he has been campaigning that his main objective is to dethrone the YSR Congress Party Government in the State. Pawan Kalyan had reiterated this stand even during media interaction on Tuesday. He asserted that he did not want the anti-YSRCP vote to get split.

Meanwhile, addressing media in Vijayawada on Wednesday, BJP’s Andhra Pradesh unit president Daggubati Purandeswari said that the party would take a crucial decision on the alliances in Andhra Pradesh at an appropriate time. Purandeswari said that the JSP was a friendly party for the BJP and soon she would also meet Pawan Kalyan. “Steps are being taken to strengthen the party from the grassroots level. A zone-wise tour will be conducted to interact with the party activists in Andhra Pradesh,” the AP BJP Chief said.

Taking a dig at the failures of the YSRCP Government, Purandeswari criticised that no other State in the country had so many contempt of court cases like Andhra Pradesh. “On several occasions, the Centre has cautioned the State relating to financial matters. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Government has raised debts to the tune of Rs 7.14 lakh crore in the last four years. Of the total, around Rs 4 lakh crore debts are unofficial. The matter will be taken to the knowledge of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. A whitepaper should be released by the State Government over the debts,” Purandeswari demanded.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Gudiwada Amarnath took strong exception to the comments made by Purandeswari on debts made by the YSRCP Government. “We are accountable to the people. The government has to account for every single rupee and the amount spent on the welfare and development of Andhra Pradesh. There is no scope for irregularities in the YSRCP Government, unlike the TDP. It is better for the BJP Chief to make comments on Jagan Mohan Reddy after going through the debts made in the State during the previous TDP regime,” Amarnath said.