Jana Sena, TDP to contest together in 2024 State Assembly elections: K. Pawan Kalyan

Jana Sena Party Chief K. Pawan Kalyan with TDP leader Nara Lokesh and Nandamuri Balakrishna at a joint press conference at Rajamundry Central Prison on September 14, 2023
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Jana Sena Party (JSP) President K. Pawan Kalyan on Thursday announced that his party and the Telugu Desam Party would form an alliance and together contest against YSR Congress Party in the 2024 Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Kalyan made the announcement immediately after meeting former Chief Minister and TDP Chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is lodged at the Rajamundry Central Prison (RCP). 

“The decision has been taken only for the welfare of the peoples development of the State. It is purely not only meant for political mileage”, said Mr. Kalyan. 

Mr. Kalyan, along with Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and Mr. Naidu’s brother-In-law and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, held talks for about 45 minutes with the former chief minister in the prison, after they were permitted to interact under the ‘Mulakhat’ facility.

Speaking to the media at the RCP, Mr. Kalyan said: “I never reverse any decisions which I take based on a thorough study. I have decided to form an alliance and go together to contest in the 2024 Assembly elections against YSR Congress Party.”

On communicating the proposal to the BJP, Mr. Kalyan said: “I have already proposed the idea of forming an alliance with JSP, TDP and BJP. Earlier, the idea was tabled before Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I hope that the BJP would also agree to this proposal for the tri-party alliance for the 2024 elections in Andhra Pradesh”. 

Driving force

“On September 10, the Jaganmohan Reddy-led State government and police officials stopped me on the Andhra-Telangana border while I was proceeding towards Vijayawada. The government and police created an environment of ‘civil war’, in which our party had to confront with the police. However, we did not wish to fight a civil war,” he said, on what drove him to the decision.

“The arrest of people like former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu sends a signal that democracy is in danger in Andhra Pradesh. The YSRCP has created an environment based on which I had to take a decision for the alliance with the TDP,” said Mr. Kalyan. 

Plan of action

“The immediate plan of action of both TDP and Jana Sena Party is to hold talks with the cadres and chalk out a plan to prepare for the elections that are likely to be held within six months in Andhra Pradesh,” he said. 

Mr. Kalyan added that a delegation comprising TDP and Jana Sena Party would also meet President of India Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah on the state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh.