The acronym SNAFU — situation normal, all fouled up — best describes the Jana Sena-BJP alliance in Andhra Pradesh today.
Fissures in the alliance became evident as the campaign for the 13 March elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council’s three Graduates and two Teachers’ constituencies began.
Of the Graduates segments, North Andhra is crucial for the BJP, since the constituency is its sitting seat. The other two segments are East Rayalaseema and West Rayalaseema.
The BJP has fielded sitting MLC PVN Madhav, and the party leaders have been camping in North Andhra for the past 15 days.
However, none of the Jana Sena leaders has joined the campaign.
Interestingly, the bone of contention between the partners is the TDP. The BJP did not warm up to Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan’s proposal for a grand alliance involving his party, the BJP and TDP to take on the YSRCP.
The BJP has been giving the silent treatment whenever the actor-politician mentions a tie-up with the TDP. The BJP wants to push TDP out of the political arena.
Until a few days ago, both Jana Sena and the TDP indirectly asserted the need for joining hands so that anti-incumbency votes won’t split in the 2024 elections to the Assembly.
Due to the lack of response from the BJP, both parties remained silent on the proposal to forge a “Mahagathbandhan” of sorts.
Though the Jana Sena and the BJP are allies, no joint programmes were held in the past two years. While the BJP planned its protests against the ruling dispensation, the Jana Sena had its own programmes.
The legislative council polls have again confirmed the differences between BJP and Jana Sena.
