BJP's political fortunes can improve if TRS joins NDA

Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party's political fortunes could improve significantly in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana if the Telangana Rashtra Samithi joins the government at the Centre, as is widely speculated, according to BJP leaders from the two Telugu-speaking states.

An alliance with the TRS, led by Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao, may result in the Telugu Desam Party severing ties with the BJP, which seeks to come to power on its own in Andhra. In Telangana, a tie-up would help resurrect the BJP from political wilderness and share power with the TRS.

Should the TRS join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre, the TDP may be pushed into an embarrassing position, claim TDP leaders in both states. The TDP currently shares power with the BJP at both the Centre and Andhra Pradesh and has an electoral alliance in Telangana.

Reports of the TRS likely to join the NDA have made TDP leader and Andhra chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu jittery , say persons close to him. The Andhra government had hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would favourably consider granting special category status to help the state attract large-scale industrial investment, said a minister in Naidu's cabinet, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A senior BJP leader from Andhra said party cadres in the state were thrilled at the prospect of changing political equations. He said the BJP must come out of the alliance with the TDP at the earliest so that the Congress and YSR Congress don't benefit.

Leaders of both parties deny that they are in talks to bring in the TRS as a new partner of the NDA government at the Centre.

TRS leaders privately say that joining the government at the Centre should help them secure much-needed funds and incentives for the development of Telangana and enjoy influence similar to the AP chief minister, if not better.

A senior BJP leader from Telangana said his party had been in the opposition for decades in the region and despite supporting the Telangana movement, the BJP ended up with only five MLAs and an MP.

“Sharing power with TRS at the Centre means sharing power at the state level as well for the next four years, which should help rejuvenate the cadres and leaders,“ said the leader, who did not want to be identified. “However, the biggest challenge will be to rein in KCR and ensure that his maverick actions and decisions do not adversely impact the image of BJP at the national level.“