India elections: BJP's Amit Shah meets TDP's Chandrababu Naidu, discuss possibility of alliance

India's Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah held talks with Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday (March 7) and discussed the chances of an alliance between the regional party and BJP for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

The two elections are slated to be held simultaneously in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP was earlier a part of the National Democratic Alliance, headed by the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party. However, it exited in 2018 when Naidu was the chief minister of the state.

BJP President JP Nadda also participated in the deliberations, as per some media reports which further hinted that the two parties are open to an alliance. However, the final decision depends on whether they are able to successfully finalise an agreeable seat-sharing arrangement.

However, the scope of an alliance has increased in the wake of a second meeting between the two leaders.

TDP leaders push for alliance with BJP

TDP leaders said that any further delay in the formation of an alliance would not be beneficial as the elections are just months away, and any kind of ambiguity will only confuse party workers and supporters.

Another Jana Sena Party, led by actor Pawan Kalyan, is a member of the NDA and has joined hands with the TDP already. The party is now appealing BJP to follow similar steps.

Kalyan also participated in the meeting with Amit Shah. Naidu earlier held talks with leaders, which included MPs of the TDP.

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The talks of the alliance are taking place amid reports that the BJP and the Biju Janata Dal, which is in power in the Indian state of Odisha, are in the final stage of entering an alliance.

The reports emerged as the senior leaders of the two parties held separate meetings on Wednesday (Mar 6) and gave hints of such a possibility.

In February, Naidu held talks with Shah and BJP President JP Nadda which ignited speculations regarding them entering an alliance.

According to the reports, the parties have been differing over the number of seats on which the BJP will fight in the state.

There are 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the BJP is willing to contest eight to 10 parliamentary constituencies.

(With inputs from agencies)