In a major political development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to ally with actor-politician Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party (JSP) in Andhra Pradesh. The announcement came after a crucial meeting in Vijayawada on Thursday. Speaking to the media, Pawan Kalyan said: "BJP and JSP will work together to come to power in 2024 in Andhra Pradesh. We will work for the people of the state together."
Earlier on January 13, BJP working President JP Nadda met Pawan Kalyan in New Delhi. The two parties agreed to work together in Andhra Pradesh in view of the situation arising out of YSR Congress (YSRCP) government's proposal to shift the state capital out of Amaravati.
JP Nadda meets Pawan Kalyan along with Tejaswi Surya. Pawan Kalyan's JSP announced a tie up with BJP in Andhra Pradesh.
The development comes close on the heels of BJP making its stand clear on the three-capital proposal. Party's core committee on January 11 demanded that Amaravati should continue as the state capital.
Earlier, Pawan Kalyan briefed Nadda on the developments in the state, especially the ongoing protests by Amaravati farmers over the proposal to shift administrative capital to Visakhapatnam and judicial capital to Kurnool.
Following the humiliating defeat in last year's elections, Pawan Kalyan had been dropping indications on joining hands with the BJP.
Pawan Kalyan had campaigned for the TDP-BJP combine in 2014 elections. He later severed ties with both the parties and conducted the previous polls in alliance with the Left parties.
Jana Sena could win just one seat in the 175-member state Assembly. Pawan Kalyan himself lost the polls from both the constituencies he contested.
