Is YSR Congress joining NDA? CM Jagan flies to Delhi to meet PM Modi amid buzz

This is the second visit of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in the last two weeks.

The YSR Congress Party chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, sparking buzz that the party from Andhra Pradesh could join the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. Speculation has been gaining ground that such a move is in the offing.

With 22 MP seats, the YSRCP is the fourth largest national party. It also has six MPs in Rajya Sabha. (Photo @AndhraPradeshCM)

Just last week, Shiromani Akali Dal, NDA’s oldest ally, junked the alliance over its opposition to the controversial farm bills. Last year, it was the Shiv Sena, who jumped ship over the issue of chief ministership in Maharashtra.

Jagan Reddy left for New Delhi on Monday evening and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 10.30 am on Tuesday. “The Prime Minister is likely to invite the YSRCP into the NDA to strengthen his hands,” the party leader said.

This is the second visit of the Andhra Pradesh chief minister in the last two weeks. On September 22, Jagan had a two-day visit to Delhi and met Union minister Amit Shah, supposedly to have preliminary discussions on the YSRCP joining the NDA, besides issues pertaining to the state. He, however, could not get the appointment of the Prime Minister then.

VDP Associates, a data-analytics firm involved in election surveys, tweeted on Monday: “BJP has reportedly offered 2 cabinet and 1 Minister of State (Independent) to YSRCP. Jagan asked to rush to Delhi for exclusive talks with PM Modi.”

However, the YSRCP leader quoted above said PM Modi might offer one cabinet and one minister of state post to the party in the government.

With 22 MP seats, the YSRCP is the fourth largest national party. It also has six MPs in Rajya Sabha. From day one of coming into power in Andhra Pradesh in May 2019, Jagan has been maintaining friendly relations with the NDA government.

The YSRCP has been supporting every decision of the Modi government both in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. While the NDA’s long-term ally Akali Dal strongly resisted the farm bills, the YSRCP voted in favour of the same. The YSRCP MPs extended support to the BJP in the election of Harivansh Narayan Singh as deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha last week.

The Jagan government also accepted the option given by the Modi government for going in for additional borrowings to offset the GST compensation payment by the Centre, though more than 12 states, including Telangana, opposed the same.

Jagan also accepted Modi government’s condition to implement power sector reforms as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat package, including fixing of meters to the agriculture sector so as to enhance its borrowing limits.

“If YSRCP joins the NDA, it will be a win-win situation for both Jagan as well as the BJP,” says political analyst from Visakhapatnam Mallu Rajesh.

The BJP is looking for new political allies after the quitting of Shiv Sena and Akali Dal and the YSRC can come in handy in passage of crucial bills, particularly in the Rajya Sabha. On the other hand, the YSRCP needs the support of the Modi government at the Centre to sustain the state’s financial position.

“At the same time, Jagan is still facing the CBI case in an alleged quid pro quo case, while his kin are under CBI scanner in connection with the murder of his uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy. Jagan is also keen on getting a CBI probe ordered into the alleged land scam in Amaravati involving his bete noire N Chandrababu Naidu. So, joining the NDA will make things easy for him,” Rajesh said.

In an interview to HT last month, Jagan made it clear that his party would place the interests of the state above everything else.

“Our support will be issue-based and will involve the betterment of our state in every aspect,” he said.