TNN, Hyderabad :
BJP and TDP on Sunday formally announced electoral alliance for the upcoming polls in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana amid reports of protests by the cadres of both parties who are opposed to the alliance.
Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral, who mediated between the two parties, said, “I am delighted to inform you that Naidu’s party is joining the NDA.”
Describing the alliance between TDP and BJP as a “lucky one,” TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu exuded confidence that NDA would get over 300 seats (in Lok Sabha elections) this time.
“Modi is a development man. Irrespective of religion, region and communities, Modi is being supported. Our goal is Congress free India and corruption free India,” said Naidu, who had supported the earlier NDA government at the Centre but parted ways due to TDP’s objections on the Gujarat riots’ issue.
As per the seat-sharing arrangement arrived between BJP and TDP, the BJP will contest in 5 Lok Sabha seats and 15 assembly seats in Seemandhra and 8 Lok Sabha seats and 47 assembly segments in Telangana.
Elections to 119 assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana are scheduled for April 30 while 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Seemandhra will go to polls on May 7.
The breakthrough in alliance talks came on Saturday night after the intervention of the top leaders of the BJP and the TDP. At one stage, the talks appeared to have collapsed.
BJP national spokesperson Prakash Javadekar, Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral, BJP treasurer Piyush Goyal and Satish Jee of the RSS held talks with the TDP leaders at a hotel.
The TDP leaders who held the talks were Sujana Chowdhary, E. Dayakar Rao, Y. Ramakrishnudu, M. Narasimhulu.
Javadekar met TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu twice on Saturday.
The TDP was initially reluctant to leave for the BJP more than 40 assembly and seven Lok Sabha seats in Telangana and 15 assembly and four Lok Sabha seats in Seemandhra.
The two parties reached the agreement as the delay was leading to rebellion in both the camps. The leaders and cadres of both the BJP and the TDP were mounting pressure on their leadership not to leave their strongholds.
Leaders of the BJP’s district units in Telangana have even threatened to resign.
