PRP+NTP make woo to BJP: A small story

One is desperate to prevent his political oblivion, and the other jittery over his political debut. In concerted moves by a veteran politician and a novice, a behindthe-scenes attempt is on to bring about an unlikely alliance of the Prajarajyam and the Nava Telangana Party with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.

While officially the three parties are denying any such move, sources in the PRP and NTP said Chiranjeevi has deputed T Devender Goud to woo the BJP into striking a poll alliance or at least a seat adjustment. “To take on thetwo major forces in the state — the ruling Congress and the TDP-TRS-Left combine — Chiranjeevi has directed Devender Goud to explore some sort of arrangement with the BJP,” sources told the media.

It was Devender Goud who had negotiated with the BJP on behalf of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu after the general elections in 1998 to forge an alliance, which lasted for five years. “Goud who is finding himself politically marginalised after quitting the TDP and forming his own party, which failed to take off, is the mediator,” the sources said.

According to the sources, Goud held talks with Chiranjeevi and Naga Babu on the issue on Monday after which the NTP leader confabulated with BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy the same day. “Devender Goud will lead a delegation to New Delhi to meet BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and party president Rajnath Singh on Thursday,” the sources said.

Goud told at a press conference on Tuesday that his delegation will offer the support of the PRP and NTP to the BJP on the private members’ bill to be moved in the Lok Sabha by the right-wing party on Telangana on February 20. “But the agenda also includes forging some kind of understanding for the elections,” sources said.

The state BJP, however, is publicly maintaining that there is no question of any understanding with the PRP-NTP combine and that it would go it alone. But indications are that it is not averse to exploring a few options to expand its base in Andhra Pradesh.

The PRP and NTP have already announced that they will have a tieup for the coming general and assembly elections.