Naidu, Pawan Kalyan discuss joint strategy for 2024 Andhra Assembly polls

Hyderabad, Dec 18 (IANS) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader Pawan Kalyan discussed a joint strategy for the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.

Naidu met Pawan Kalyan at the latter’s residence in Hyderabad on Sunday night.

Both the leaders discussed various issues related to election strategy including common manifesto and seat sharing for the elections, scheduled along with Lok Sabha polls next year.

The meeting between the former chief minister and the actor-politician lasted for two-and-a-half hours.

JSP Political Affairs Committee (PAC) chairman N. Manohar told media persons after the meeting that the leaders of both the parties had detailed discussion on the strategy to free Andhra Pradesh from YSRCP rule.

He said they discussed how to move forward to provide good governance to the people Andhra Pradesh.

“The two leaders discussed the joint strategy, various political issues and the decisions both the parties have to take organisationally to make sure that people of Andhra Pradesh have a better future,” he said, adding that they were satisfied with the way the talks were held.

Pawan Kalyan had decided to join hands with the TDP for the coming elections during a meeting with Chandrababu Naidu on September 13 in Rajahmundry jail, where the TDP chief was lodged following his arrest in Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation case.

The JSP took the decision despite being a part of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

There is still no word from BJP whether it will join TDP and JSP for the grand alliance.

Both TDP and JSP have formed a coordination committee, which has so far held two rounds of talks to prepare a common manifesto.

Leaders of the two parties are likely to hold few more rounds of talks to finalise seat sharing.

An agreement to this effect is likely be finalised by Sankranti.

Naidu had visited Pawan Kalyan’s residence in 2014 to seek his support for the TDP.

The JSP did not contest 2014 elections but the actor-politician campaigned for the TDP-BJP alliance.

Though the alliance came to power in Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan distanced himself from both the parties for failing to fulfil the commitment to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

Later, the TDP had also snapped ties with the BJP over the same issue.

The JSP contested the 2019 elections in alliance with the BSP and the Left parties but the alliance suffered a humiliating defeat.

The JSP could win just one seat with Pawan Kalyan himself losing from both the seats he contested.

YSRCP had wrested power from TDP with a landslide majority.

The TDP bagged 23 seats in 175-member Assembly.