BJP responds to claims of YSRCP joining NDA

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led to a row of speculations in the state. The YSRCP Chief’s back to back visits to New Delhi, within a span of over two weeks, have fuelled rumours that his party might soon join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The claims also drew strength from the fact that the YSRCP supported several bills tabled by the BJP in Parliament.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s meeting with PM Modi, which lasted for about 40 minutes, on Tuesday, saw the AP leader discuss several issues related to the state. However, with the BJP losing two of its key allies- Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal- in the last one year, speculations have been rife that the party might be interested in drawing support from the YSRCP, which accounts for 28 MPs-22 in Lok Sabha and 6 in Rajya Sabha.

Brushing away these reports, BJP leaders have cleared the air that the party certainly has no plans of joining hands with the YSRCP. BJP MLC PVN Madhav said, “There are numerous speculations that the YSRCP will join the NDA. In reality, the BJP has no plans to join hands with the YSRCP. The BJP is bringing several issues in the state to light and intends to grow independently. The Chief Minister meeting PM Narendra Modi is an ordinary matter and reports claiming an alliance between the two parties are baseless.”

It may be noted that the BJP forged ties with Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena Party in Andhra Pradesh earlier this year. Speaking on the occasion, Janasena Chief Pawan Kalyan had stated that the alliance is an alternative to people who are vexed with the failures of the YSRCP and the TDP. Speaking from the same stage, BJP state in-charge, Sunil Deodhar, had made the party’s stance clear by informing that there was no question of realigning with the TDP or forming any ties with the YSRCP.