TDP, BJP still thrashing out seat-sharing issues

Hyderabad, Apr 8: Alliance partners Telugu Desam Party and BJP continued to grapple with the contentious issue of seat sharing till late tonight. BJP is yet to announce its candidates for 47 Assembly and 8 Lok Sabha seats it will be contesting while TDP has to announce its nominees for 45 Assembly and 8 Lok Sabha seats.

TDP had announced its first list of 27 Assembly and three Lok Sabha candidates yesterday. TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and BJP Telangana unit President G Kishan Reddy were closeted in talks at the former's residence late this evening, sources said.

TDP's list was ready but it stopped short of announcing it as issues with BJP were being sorted out, sources added.

The Naidu-led party is said to be facing internal dissension as some senior leaders insisted on Lok Sabha tickets, though the party is interested in fielding them for Assembly. Incidentally, TDP and Lok Satta Party could not reach any understanding over the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency.

As such, LSP national president N Jayaprakash Narayan will fight the election on his own with TDP candidate also in fray. Both BJP and TDP are expected to announce their lists by early tomorrow morning, sources said.

PTI