As Naidu strikes a deal with BJP in Andhra, TDP supporters in Telangana left in quandary

But now Chandrababu Naidu has become the official ally of the BJP in the neighbouring state and the TDP supporters would have to vote for the saffron party candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Telangana.

The saffron party has ruled out any alliance with its NDA partners – TDP and Jana Sena – in Telangana.

One bitten twice shy, the BJP Telangana leaders want to have none of Chandrababu Naidu or Pawan Kalyan and their campaigning in Telangana. They are afraid that it would make KCR go in for the kill by resurrecting the bogey of “Telangana betrayal” by Andhra leaders.

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Will Chandrababu campaign in T’gana?

Tirunagari Jyothsna, Telangana TDP spokesperson said, “As of now, the question of whether Chandrababu Naidu would campaign in Telangana in support of BJP has not arisen. No discussion has taken place so far on this subject.”

KCR who is now recovering after he was badly bruised and mauled in the recent Assembly elections, is waiting for an opportunity to cut the Congress down to size.

If the TDP overtly or covertly helps the Congress, he would get a handle to expose Naidu’s “opportunistic” nature, to rouse BRS rabbles into resurrecting the Telangana sentiment which is now just a blur in the memory.

KCR seems to have overcome the shock of defeat and is trying to pick up the pieces of what remains of the political space that he had lorded over for a decade.

KCR, a leader with political clairvoyance, recognises an opportunity when he sees one. He is waiting for the unlikely possibility of the BJP to make the mistake of asking Naidu or the TDP leaders to campaign in Telangana and Naidu obliging them.

Also Read: CM Revanth alleges BRS, BJP have joined hands to pull down Congress government

TDP presence in Telangana

Now that the TDP is in the NDA orbit, though Naidu may not be contesting in Telangana, the BJP may still want him to help its candidates overtly or covertly since the TDP has presence in at least six to seven Assembly constituencies within Hyderabad which are part of Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency.

This apart, Khammam district continues to remain part of Telagnana where the TDP has significant presence.

In Khammam Assembly segment, there are more than 60,000 Kamma voters as well as significant chunks of TDP supporters in Wyra, Madhira, Sathupally and Aswaraopet segments. The district has a number of Kamma leaders who could influence voters.

For instance, Thummala Nageswara Rao who is a minister in Revanth Reddy’s cabinet now was a minister during the heady days of TDP government in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP also has supporters in Nizamabad and Nalgonda districts to some extent. In 2014, even at the height of the Telangana movement and division of the state, the TDP managed to win 15 seats.

Also Read: TDP-JSP-BJP seat-sharing pact in Andhra gives saffron party 6 Parliament, 10 Assembly seats

Dicey situation from TDP supporters

These TDP sympathisers would now have to vote for the BJP since their leader is with the BJP or would support the Congress with which they had developed a new bond post the Assembly elections.

This is a dicey situation for the supporters of the TDP.

Says political analyst Telakapalli Ravi: “Whether or not Naidu is in the NDA orbit, the TDP supporters in Khammam district would support the Congress. I do not think Naidu would make a personal appearance in Telangana and the BJP too might not ask him and instead may suggest that he confine himself to Andhra Pradesh.”

This raises the question of whether Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy who had his political schooling under Chandrababu Naidu in the Telugu Desam Party would get any help from Naidu to help him navigate through the choppy waters and win a maximum number of LS seats.

Though Congress leaders might bank on the soft corner Naidu had for the Congress in the past, in the changed scenario, Naidu may not take the risk of asking the supporters of the TDP in Telangana even covertly to support the Congress lest he should incur the wrath of the BJP top leadership. In such an eventuality, the TDP’s support would go to the BJP this time and the Congress would have to plough a lonely furrow.