Why did this leader call BJP's alliance with Jana Sena and TDP in Andhra a case study?

'Alliance in Andhra Pradesh a case study'
The state president's statement comes at a time when the BJP joined the alliance late and the Pawan Kalyan-led Janasena Party took the initiative to partner with the TDP in 2023 while Chandrababu Naidu was in jail. Speaking to our colleague Economic Times, Purandeswari said that the BJP joined the alliance much later, in January-February this year. However, we have a great ecosystem at all levels in the alliance, from the assembly to the parliamentary constituency level. This helped us create a vision from an electoral point of view and this alliance will definitely run a good government as well. He said, 'I would call this alliance a case study in itself.'

'All partners have the same opinion'
“The reason for the synergy is that the alliance partners are similar in terms of ideological values. The BJP is committed to the principle of 'Antyodaya' and 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas'. The TDP's ideology considers people 'equal to God' and society as the 'main temple'. Janasena also puts the common man at the centre. So the ideology of all the alliance partners is the same and this is what binds us together,” he said, adding that there are other similarities in the alliance, such as equal commitment towards the implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and ensuring due financial benefits to the state.

'BJP is committed to help Andhra Pradesh'
He said, 'Earlier also the BJP-led central government was committed to ensuring proper financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh. Special status is not possible due to the restriction imposed by the 15th Finance Commission. However, a special package was agreed upon in 2017. The state government then proposed it through a 'Special Purpose Vehicle' (SPV). However, this SPV was neither created then nor under the outgoing YSR Congress government. So if now the SPV model is revived and set up properly, Andhra Pradesh will definitely get this amount.'

On the possible areas of differences in the alliance, especially on the question of minorities as Muslims form a significant portion of the population in Andhra Pradesh and are the support base for the TDP, Purandeswari said her party is only against religion-based reservation and does not discriminate against any minority.

'Many apprehensions were raised during the election campaign'
He said, “During the election campaign, some apprehensions were raised about changing the Constitution. We were able to successfully explain that we never intended to do so. The question does not arise and in fact it cannot be done. I think the message got across clearly. We also explained how the BJP brought in EWS reservation and it does not discriminate on the basis of religion. In fact, this is not done in any beneficiary scheme of the central government.”

Purandeswari, daughter of TDP founder NT Rama Rao, has not been inducted into the Council of Ministers, but there is speculation in New Delhi about a possible bigger role for her. This is because she was appointed as BJP Andhra Pradesh president in 2023 and has big wins to her name in the state, where she forged a winning coalition that is crucial for NDA 3.0. However, she says she is committed to her current task of making space for the BJP in a state dominated by two strong regional parties. Having represented people from different regions of Andhra Pradesh – Bapatla, Visakhapatnam and Rajahmundry – she is well placed to do so.