TDP, BJP, JSP grapple to make nice with one another in AP; mutual trust missing

VIJAYAWADA: While the TDP, the BJP and the JSP have joined hands to contest the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, ironing out the list of candidates according to the winnability factor and bringing all cadres to fight unitedly is proving to be a grand challenge for all the three parties.

Also, the serious disconnect between the parties is due to mutual suspicion. The BJP and, at some places, the Jana Sena contestants are suspecting that the TDP is encouraging “rebels” to enter the fray to sabotage the chances of the alliance partners.

The BJP is said to be feeling the heat that the TDP had already announced candidates in the seats it was expecting to contest. By allotting unsafe seats where the TDP itself had a bad track record, the BJP feels the Telugu Desam demonstrated its cunning politics.

Also Read: Lack of consensus, open revolt in Uttarandhra as TDP-JSP-BJP struggle to finalise candidates

The chemistry seems to be missing among the alliance partners and they act like being tied in a forced marriage.

The BJP is a divided house with two groups. One group kowtows to Chandrababu Naidu and the other seriously opposes him.

The flock within the BJP that is servile to Naidu is having the cake and eating it too as far as the contest is concerned.

The other group is at daggers with the TDP for its plotting against them.

Here's a rundown of the challenges faced by each party.

JSP: No consensus for candidates

Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan announced candidates for 18 out 21 seats. Candidates are yet to be announced for Palakonda in erstwhile Srikakulam district, Avanigadda in erstwhile Krishna district and Visakhapatnam South.

In Palakonda, the JSP has a strong cadre owing to the huge presenec of Kapu voters. The party is confident that if a strong candidate is put up, they can defeat the sitting YSRCP MLA Viswasarayi Kalavathi who has won twice from the constituency and is facing anti-incumbency.

However, the alliance is an issue in this constituency. TDP candidate Nimmaka Jayakrishna, who contested four times from this seat and lost, wants a ticket. He has sent feelers that he could contest as an independent candidate if the JSP candidate is given the ticket.

In Avanigadda, there is huge competition withing the party for a JSP ticket. While Vikkurthi Venkata Srinivas seems to be the frontrunner, the entry of Vangaveeti Radha has made the decision-making process complex. Machilipatnam MP candidate Vallabhaneni Balashauri has been pushing for Radha’s candidature.

In Visakhapatnam South, there is open defiance in the party ranks on who is likely to get a ticket. Former MLC Vamsi Krishna Srinivas and corporator Shadik Vargiya along with their respective cadres fought openly in the public claiming that that the constituency ticket was allotted to them. JSP leaders are opposing Vamsi Krishna's candidature citing that he was a non-local.

Delay in naming candidates irks BJP cadre

With the TDP and the JSP naming over 90 per cent of its candidates for the Assembly polls, the BJP cadres are miffed that the party high command is delaying naming of candidates for Andhra Pradesh.

"How long can you delay in selecting candidates for 10 Assembly seats? If the candidate is still undecided, when should we meet the leaders of allied parties in the alliance? Candidates, leaders and cadre who are likely to get tickets in the party are getting impatient. In elections, every moment is precious," said one BJP leader.

According to the information shared by TDP leaders, BJP wants to contest two seats in Rayalaseema and three in Uttarandhra. In the Rayalaseema region, the BJP wants to contest in Dharmavaram. An MLA who defected from the YSRCP to the BJP wants to contest from Guntakal.

According to party sources, BJP national executive member and former BJP State president Somu Veerraju will be in the fray from Rajamahendravaram (Rural).

The BJP is planning contest from the Araku Assembly constituency instead of Paderu. BJP named Pangi Raja Rao as its candidate in the constituency. Vishnu Kumar Raju would contest from the Visakhapatnam (North) Assembly constituency, from where he won the 2014 elections. One of Kamineni Srinivas or Garapati Sitaramanjaneya Chowdary would contest from Kaikaluru Assembly constituency.

Y Satya Kumar is likely to contest from Dharmavaram, while C Adinarayana Reddy would be the likely contender from Jammalamadugu and Raju from Anaparthi. Similarly, N Eswar Rao's name has been proposed from Etcherla, while Parthasarathy from Adoni. Meanwhile, Jyothi or P Suresh is likely to contest from Badvel.

The Vijayawada (West) Assembly, which hitherto the JSP is claiming, would go to the BJP with the entry of former Rajya Sabha member Sujana Chowdary.

History does not favour TDP-BJP

A look at the electoral performance 10 seats given by the TDP to the BJP as part of alliance

1) Srikakulam :- Last time TDP won in 2014 .. Votes received by BJP in 2019: 1,340

2) Paderu :- Last time TDP won in 1999, 4,631 votes by BJP in 2019

3) Vizag North:- New constituency in 2009 but did not win, BJP got 18,790 votes in 2019

4) Anaparthi:- Last time TDP won in 2014, BJP got 627 votes in 2019

5) Kaikaluru:- Last time TDP won in 2009, BJP got 1,701 votes in 2019

6) Vijayawada West :- TDP did not win since 1983, BJP got 4,206 votes in 2019

7) Adoni :- Last time TDP won in 2009, BJP got 3,854 votes in 2019

8) Dharmavaram :- The last time TDP won in 2014, BJP got 622 votes in 2019

9) Jammalamadugu :- Last time TDP won in 1999, votes received by BJP in 2019 were 536

10) Badvel:- Last time TDP won in 1999, BJP got 735 votes in 2019