YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is said to have kept his options open on forging a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party before 2014 elections, in the event of a break-up of alliance between the BJP and the Telugu Desam Party.
A hint to this effect was given by YSR Congress party leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy in an interview to a Telugu television channel a couple of days ago.
When asked whether there was any chance for the YSR Congress party forging any alliance with another party before 2014 elections, Bhumana did not rule out the possibility of a pact with the BJP.
“We will consider the option when it is really required,” he said.
Apparently, the YSRC is of the view that the BJP would eventually severe its ties with the TDP, the moment it realizes that the latter has no chances of winning the next elections.
And the only alternative for it is to have an alliance with the YSRC, since the BJP desperately needs the support of as many as alliance partners as possible in the next elections as the chances of NDA forming the government on its own would be bleak.
But it is too early to come out openly; hence, Jagan would play his cards close to his chest before deciding on the alliance with the BJP.
It remains to be seen how TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu would counter Jagan’s strategy.