BJP is riding two horses in Andhra Pradesh courting Chandrababu Naidu, but Jagan still in sights

BJP is cosying up to Naidu's TDP in Andhra Pradesh while intensifying criticism against 'friendly' Jagan. But BJP is also wary of losing support from Jagan's YSRCP in Parliament.

An intricate game of political chess is underway in Andhra Pradesh, where the BJP is trying to balance its rapport with the Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP on the national stage while also launching strategic offensives at the state level.

Simultaneously, the BJP, currently in alliance with actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, is exploring ties with the opposition Telugu Desam Party, potentially forming a tripartite alliance against Jagan in next year’s state elections. But it’s stopping short of committing.

“We have maintained an equal distance from both YSRCP and TDP in the past. Jagan supports us in floor coordination in Parliament, but in the state, we are fighting against him. Now the situation is warming up with the TDP, but we still have time to finalise an alliance,” said a senior Andhra Pradesh BJP leader, speaking to ThePrint on condition of anonymity.

Jagan, who has had a cordial relationship with Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah, has lent the support of the YSRCP for several bills in Parliament, including the  passed by the Rajya Sabha earlier this month.

However, despite this friendly equation, Jagan is now facing attacks in Andhra Pradesh from the newly appointed BJP state president and former Union minister D. Purandeswari— who happens to be the daughter of late TDP patriarch NT Rama Rao (NTR) and the sister-in-law of Jagan’s bitter rival, Chandrababu Naidu.

Not just this, the TDP and BJP have been speaking in one voice of late even though they are not officially in an alliance.

This has been especially evident in criticism unleashed by the BJP and TDP over certain controversial appointments to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) board, an independent trust that manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, one of the richest temples in India.

Nevertheless, despite its apparent friction with the YSRCP and thawing relations with the TDP, the BJP appears to be riding two horses in Andhra Pradesh for now when it comes to a potential alliance.