Why BJP Is Silent On TDP Chief Naidu's Arrest And What Is Its Game Plan In Andhra?

Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan on Thursday announced that his Janasena Party, an ally of the NDA, and TDP will go together in the next elections.

Kalyan met TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu at Rajamahendravaram central prison. "Andhra Pradesh can't afford YSRCP. I have made the decision today. Janasena and TDP will go together in the next elections," PTI quoted Kalyan as telling reporters, accompanied by Naidu's son and party general secretary Nara Lokesh and Hindupur MLA and Naidu's brother-in-law Nandamuri Balakrishna.

His Janasena had been dillydallying all this while as to whether both parties would contest the next elections together. Kalyan also said that he had complete faith in the BJP that it would join the two opposition parties for the polls.

Political observers have been expecting the BJP to join hands with the TDP to take on the YSRCP after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J P Nadda, setting about the alliance.

BJP's Silence
What has caught many by surprise is the studied silence of the BJP over Naidu's arrest. After the TDP Chief was arrested, the BJP criticised the move but did not support the bandh call given by the TDP.

"The arrest sans a proper notice, without his name mentioned in the FIR, without seeking an explanation and bypassing procedures is unjustified. The BJP condemns this," BJP State President D Purandeshwari and Naidu's sister-in-law D Purandeswari wrote on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) over the arrest.

As per the political analysts, the BJP state leaders might have been instructed to go soft on the Jagan government. However, this has not gone well with the TDP.

TDP senior leader and former minister Ayyanna Patrudu has targeted the Centre asking whether the Andhra CM might have not arrested the TDP Chief without Centre's knowledge. What is the use of Modi and Shah conducting G-20 summit in Delhi when the state government is resorting to vengeance politics in AP?" News9 quoted him as saying.

The BJP's move has left wondering whether the saffron party has joined hands with the YSRCP. Further, the recent I-T notices clearly indicate that they are not on Naidu's side this time.

What's BJP Game Plan For Andhra
It is believed that the silence is a well-thought-out decision as the BJP wants to gain a foothold in Andhra politics. The party aims to carve out its own presence and carefully assess its future strategies.

It has always been a bipolar contest between Congress and the TDP in Andhra. After the Jagan broke away from Congress and formed YSRCP, the grand old party lost its significance and the battle since then has been between TDP and Jagan's party.

The challenge for the BJP is to now establish itself firmly in Andhra and find a distinct place within the state's political landscape, which is currently dominated by the TDP and YSRCP.

As far as the YSRCP is concerned, the party has the support of the Reddys, backward castes and minorities while the TDP has the support from Kammas, a large section of middle class, educated salariat and business and traders.

Although it's challenging to sway the YSRCP's voter base, there is an opportuntiy for the party to appeal to the TDP's support base, especially considering that the middle class and the business community constitute the traditional voter base of the BJP in other regions of the country. As a result, the saffron party will not benefit by joining Naidu's cause.

With an ageing Naidu on one side, and his son Lokesh lacking his father's political acumen, the BJP could seize an opportunity to make inroads into the TDP's political base. This appears to be the BJP's strategy.

One might expect a better picture of the BJP's stand after the Special Session of Parliament, which is scheduled to be held between September 18 and 22, concludes.