BJP in bid to patch up differences with TDP

Hyderabad: After a series of unpleasant statements by and between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over granting of special status to the state of Andhra Pradesh and the economic package to the state, the BJP side is in an apparent bid to patch up the differences.

The move is seen crucial to the national ruling party in the build-up to the general election of 2019, in which BJP's ties with regional parties will once again become crucial, especially in states where regional forces have an upper hand over the national parties.

In a bid to rope in TDP once again in friendly mode, the the BJP has sent party general secretary Ram Madhav to Andhra Pradesh for talks with chief minister and TDP boss Chandrababu Naidu to solve its differences with TDP over the contested issues.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had almost gone all out while expressing his disappointment that despite its affliation to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the State has not got special allotments and many of its financial demands were yet to be addressed.

Mr. Madhav, in the role of a go-getter now, who visited Andhra Pradesh on February 25 and 26, confirmed that he had been in touch with TDP and layed down the differences.

From the reactions of BJP circles, it appeared that the party did not want a message to go out that BJP cared little for its TDP ties.

On the part of the TDP, the party is also getting into a tempo for the Assembly elections to be held next year, and so wanted to consolidate its own foothold in the state. Meanwhile, YSR Congress Party chief Jaganmohan Reddy has asked his party MPs to resign on March 6, if there is no major grant on the financial and procedural allotments for the implementation of the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act.

Observers may be prompted to keep a watch on the outcome of Ram Madhav's engagement with the TDP leadership.