Hyderabad
Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan on Thursday hinted at having an alliance with Telugu Desam Party headed by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh scheduled early next year.
Addressing a huge rally, Yuva Sakthi (power of youth), at Ranasthalam in Srikakulam district, the Jana Sena Party chief said there was a need to put up a collective fight to “pull down a dictator” and see that the anti-establishment votes would not split. One should adopt certain strategies to achieve the goal, he said.
“For the last nine years, I have been fighting independently. But there is no need to fight single-handedly and face defeat. We don’t have to enter into an alliance with any other party, if we have the capacity to win the elections on our own. But do we have the capacity? Can our party workers give me such an assurance?” he asked.
Pawan Kalyan, however, said he would go in for an alliance if there was a respectable agreement with the other party. “Otherwise, we shall fight it out on our own. It will be a Jana Sena government or a coalition government in Andhra Pradesh in the next elections. In any case, the coming elections are very crucial for us,” he said.
The Jana Sena chief said he had not discussed alliances and seat adjustments with Chandrababu Naidu during his meeting with the latter last Sunday. “Some people are talking nonsense about the meeting saying I was sold out to Naidu for a package. They should remember that I pay ₹25 crore income tax every year. We had only discussed the future of the state and how to bail out the people from the crisis,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The Jana Sena chief said he had not discussed alliances and seat adjustments with Chandrababu Naidu during his meeting with the latter last Sunday. “Some people are talking nonsense about the meeting saying I was sold out to Naidu for a package. They should remember that I pay ₹25 crore income tax every year. We had only discussed the future of the state and how to bail out the people from the crisis,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Pawan Kalyan explained that the objective behind his statement that the anti-establishment votes should not split was to ensure that there should be political stability in the state. “Had the Jagan Mohan Reddy government delivered an excellent governance, I would not have raised my voice. But I am forced to revolt because of the bad governance,” he said.
He admitted that he had criticised the TDP government in the past on certain policies. “But at times, we have to compromise on certain issues. That is why we have decided to put up a joint fight,” he said.
He said he would continue to fight against the anti-people policies of the government irrespective of whether he would lose or win the elections. “I will not give up politics till my last breath and will never give up the fight,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Jana Sena Party adopted two resolutions – one on development of north-coastal Andhra and another on the empowerment of youth.
The party said it would strive for establishment of North Coastal Andhra Development Authority for the development of the region, if the party is voted to power in next assembly elections. It said the Central government, under the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, had earmarked special funds for the development of backward areas, including north-coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.
“We shall strive for utilising the funds allocated for the development of north-coastal Andhra by establishing North-Coastal Andhra Development Authority,” the party said in the resolution, describing it as “Ranasthalam declaration.”
In another resolution, the Jana Sena Party vowed to bring about a comprehensive New Youth Policy aimed at providing a bright future for the youth by channelising their energies in the industrial, information technology, education, agriculture, sports and medical fields.