In a recent development, both the ruling parties of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), have refrained from participating in the opposition meeting for creating a unified front against the BJP. This has raised speculations that the Telugu states may not have a role in cobbling together an anti-BJP front for the upcoming 2024 elections.
While BRS is trying to expand on its own to other states, YSRCP prefers not to be a part of any pre-poll alliance at the national level. The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) led by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan have also shown inclination towards an alliance with BJP, further reducing the probability of any contribution from Telugu states to the opposition unity at the national level.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) failed in his efforts to form a viable alternative to both Congress and BJP. However, he has charted his own course by turning Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) into BRS to expand his footprints to other states. While KCR had earlier reached out to various regional parties for a common platform, his efforts did not yield the desired results, as parties like DMK, Trinamool Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party insisted that the Congress be a part of any anti-BJP alliance.
BRS has decided to maintain equi-distance with both BJP and Congress. After skipping the Patna meeting, its working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) explained that BRS doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the view that the BJP or Congress should be the nucleus of any front or coalition.
Additionally, on the same day while opposition leaders met in Patna, KTR was in Delhi to meet central ministers to put forth before them certain demands with respect to various developmental projects. This has led to speculation that there is a secret understanding between BRS and BJP. Political analysts believe that this could result in BRS taking the help of BJP in the event that it falls short of a majority, and in return, BRS may support BJP after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The state Congress leaders see a direct link between the change in KCR’s tone and the allegations against his daughter K. Kavitha in the Delhi liquor policy case. Telugu states have been losing their relevance in national politics, and YSRCP has failed to bargain a better deal for Andhra Pradesh, including special category status.
Lastly, TDP led by former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has stopped talking about national politics. TDP had played an essential role in United Front and NDA governments. Still, while the BJP remains cold to Naidu’s overtures, the party has been making efforts to revive its alliance with the BJP. Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party (JSP), which is an ally of BJP, is making efforts to forge TDP-BJP-JSP alliance to prevent splitting of anti-YSRCP votes. The word is that Naidu is likely to remain silent on national politics, at least till the 2024 elections.
