BJP Strategically Using TDP In Telangana?

The Telugu Desam Party recently rejoined the NDA alliance and is preparing for a joint election campaign along with BJP and JSP in Andhra Pradesh. But it turns out that this alliance won’t be confined only to Andhra Pradesh as BJP is reportedly planning a strategic move to use TDP’s strengths in Telangana to their advantage.

Though TDP stayed away from the recent Telangana elections, the party has a significant vote bank in Telangana, particularly in the Khammam region. This is where BJP is looking to make the best out of TDP’s prospect by giving the Khammam MP ticket to TDP.

BJP already announced 15 MP candidates in Telangana, leaving only Khammam and Warangal. The idea is to give the Khammam MP ticket to TDP which has a working body and loyal cadre here, which was proven when Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao thanked TDP cadre in Khammam for contributing to Congress’s success in Khammam.

BJP anyway has little to no grip here so they recently brought in Jalagam Venkat Rao. But his name wasn’t seen in the recently released second list of BJP so the party is still skeptical about his candidacy. This is leaving space to a strategic move by giving the ticket to TDP and strengthening his chances here. 

Congress is fielding Bhatti Vikramarka’s wife Mallu Nandini in Khammam so a BJP is reportedly planning to give this seat to TDP which has a functioning body and loyal vote bank. BRS couldn’t open its account in the Khammam segment in the assembly elections which showed its lack of grip here. So the fight could be only between TDP and Congress if BJP’s strategic move goes through. We should see how things unfold.