BJP, TDP may seal pre-poll deal soon

VISAKHAPATNAM: A war of nerves seems to be on between the BJP and the TDP over a pre-poll alliance, with senior members of both the parties hinting that they have barely 48 hours to come out into the open on the issue. Leaders of both the parties remain cagey to openly admit that the alliance is on.

Senior BJP leader and chairman of party's working group on national security SV Seshagiri Rao said, "I can't give you any specific answer to this question. We need to look at it from the party point of view on how best to serve the people of Seemandhra, which needs a good and stable governance at this juncture. That is at the top of our mind."

Queried about difference of opinion among TDP leaders about joining hands with BJP, he said, "Individual leaders might be having different views on different issues. But what ultimately matters is how TDP and BJP as political parties look at it."

While veteran TDP leader Ashok Gajapathi Raju still prefers to stick to his anti-BJP stand, the equally senior Ayyanna Patrudu firmly believes that the tie-up is just round the corner. "We do not have any time to waste. The future of Andhra Pradesh will depend on the alliance between the two parties and we are sure that the Modi wave will count at least in urban areas," said Ayyanna.

Another senior TDP leader from East Godavari added, "A tie-up with the BJP is imminent, whatever the personal likes and dislikes of some of us. We have to consider the interests of the party first and foremost."

A senior political analyst observed that a pre-poll alliance will mean that the TDP forecloses its post-poll alliance. "For the TDP it is good to have BJP, the only issue is how much to concede. The upside of the alliance for the BJP is that TDP is back in the NDA fold. However, for all this to happen one of the two parties will have to be less miserly than the other as far as the seat sharing process is concerned," the analyst pointed out.

However, sources within the BJP as well as TDP disclosed that the alliance has virtually been sealed with the talks on for the seat sharing process. Sources further disclosed that as of now there is some serious bargaining going on with both parties trying to stick to what they want. As a senior BJP leader hinted, it might all be sealed in the next 48 hours.