Sunday, Apr 06, 2014
Hyderabad: In a development that could be a game changer for the Narendra Modi-led alliance in the entire country, the Telugu Desam and the BJP on Sunday finally reached an alliance with the regional party, accepting the demands of the saffron party to a large extent.
Under the alliance, finalised after a fortnight of gruelling talks between the two sides, the TDP has agreed to give eight Lok Sabha and 47 assembly seats in Telangana and five Lok Sabha and 15 assembly seats in Seemandhra region.
“We have reached the alliance in the national interest. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for a larger benefit,” TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu told the media at his residence.
He said it was natural that an alliance will result in the loss and gain of some seats and there will be some problems for both the parties.
BJP General Secretary Prakash Javdekar, BJP treasurer Piyush Goyal and Akali Dal MP and co-convener of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Naresh Gujral were also present. While other senior state BJP leaders were present, everybody noted the absence of the state BJP president G Kishan Reddy.
However, Kishan Reddy defended his absence saying he was busy persuading unhappy party workers to accept the alliance.
“Now the workers should work hard to make the TDP-BJP alliance successful,” he said, expressing confidence that he will be able to persuade all the party workers to accept the decision of the party’s central leadership.
A beaming Naidu said that the alliance of the two parties will go a long way in ensuring that the next government at the centre will be led by Narendra Modi. “We will achieve our goal of a Congress-free and corruption-free government,” he said.
“I am confident that the NDA will win 300 plus seats in Lok Sabha,” Naidu added. Providing a stable, efficient and honest government was the aim of the alliance, he said.
Lashing out at the ten-year rule of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, Naidu said that because of the rampant corruption, development had come to a standstill.
“I appeal to the people to throw out the corrupt government of Congress and take the country on the path of rapid development to make up the loss of ten years,” he said.
When asked about the criticism against Narendra Modi, Naidu said, “one or two people might be saying that. But the general perception of the people was that Modi was a man of development. He did a lot for the development of Gujarat.”
However, the alliance also evoked strong reaction from the lower-rung leaders and workers of both the parties. While a formal announcement was being made inside, party workers from different constituencies were holding a noisy protest outside.
They also included supporters of B Umamaheshwara Rao from Vijaywada Central. They were carrying placards and shouting slogans demanding the seat for their leader.
TDP’s MLA from Malkajgiri constituency M Hanumantha Rao resigned in protest against his party leaving the seat for the BJP.
“I will contest the election as an independent candidate”, he said.
The BJP was also facing a revolt in its ranks. Warangal District President of the BJP Ashok Reddy announced his resignation from the party in protest against the alliance.
Prakash Javdekar did not see any contradiction in BJP’s support to separate Telangana and join hands with the TDP. “From the beginning we have been saying that both Telangana and Andhra states can coexist peacefully and progress rapidly,” he said.
The alliance was formalised on Sunday afternoon after both the sides burnt the midnight oil.
Prakash Javdekar, along with others, held talks at Naidu’s residence till late last night. Earlier in the day, the leaders of both the parties held talks at a hotel and when most of the irritants were cleared, the top BJP leaders visited Naidu’s residence.
The two parties came to an alliance with only three days left for the filing of the nomination for the 17 Lok Sabha and 119 assembly seats in Telangana. The region is scheduled to go to the polls on April 30.
In the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats will have polls on May 7.
By Mohammed Siddique?Correspondent
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
