Amidst growing speculation in the political circle of a possible BJP-TDP alliance, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu shared the dais with BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Wednesday at a students’ convention.
Not only both leaders sat together for more than six hours at the event, they also had a half-an-hour-long meeting “over a cup of tea” after the programme culminated.
Sources in the BJP disclosed, the TDP is “very eager” to come back in the NDA-fold after realising that its poll prospects are “not very bright” in Andhra Pradesh specially after YSR Congress’ Jagan Mohan Reddy’s bail in a disproportionate assets case.
In his opening address at the event, Mr Naidu praised the Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government and blamed the Congress-led UPA government for the economic slowdown.
Ever since Mr Naidu held a meeting with BJP chief Rajnath Singh last month on the Telangana issue, where the alliance issue was also apparently discussed, speculation has been rife that the TDP may join hands with its former ally. But the BJP’s Andhra Pradesh unit is against the TDP joining the NDA-fold because of their “bitter experience” with the TDP in the state.
The state unit, it was learnt, have already informed the Central leadership that they are against any such possible tie-up However, the BJP also maintains that till now there is no concrete move on the issue.