Opposition from the Telangana BJP unit leaders notwithstanding, the BJP-TDP alliance will continue for the forthcoming by-election to Medak lok Sabha constituency and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
A clear indication came from the meeting of national BJP president Amit Shah with the TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu in the city. Sources said that the two leaders had a detailed discussion on the relations of the two parties. While, the BJP was a partner with the TDP in Andhra Pradesh State Government, the alliance failed to deliver results in Telangana leading to recriminations between the two parties.
Sources said that Shah and Naidu agreed that the two parties should go forward together in coordination with both the States, overcoming problems.
Telangana State BJP president G Kishan Reddy, who had been expressing strong reservations over the alliance with BJP in Telangana region, was also present in the breakfast meeting along with other leaders of the two parties.
In the light of the agreement to continue the alliance for the by elections, sources said that the two parties will carefully chose a strong and acceptable candidate for Medak lok Sabha. The by election has become prestigious as the seat was vacated by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. BJP believes that the by election, slated for September 13 should mark the start of a fight back against the TRS. It will be followed by GHMC elections in November. As the BJP has already set its eyes on the post of the Mayor, the TDP will have to play the second fiddle in the polls.
In context of the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendar Modi to United States next month, the strength and the activities of various Telugu organisations working in America also came up for discussions. Noting that among the Indians in USA, Telugus were the single largest group, Amit Shah underlined the need of further consolidating the Telugu organisations there.