BJP delighted host as after Chandrababu Naidu, ‘friendly’ Jagan comes calling

The meeting of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday indicates that the BJP is spoiled for choice when it comes to Andhra Pradesh, with the state’s ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) keen on friendly ties and the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP)expecting to be welcomed back into the NDA fold.

The long-overdue meeting, during which Jagan reportedly repeated the demand for Special Category Status for Andhra, lasted around 30 minutes and went off well, the CM told reporters.

Jagan’s meeting with Modi incidentally followed immediately after discussions between the PM, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda in the new Parliament building.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri <a href=«https://twitter.com/ysjagan?ref_src=» https: class="" rel=«nofollow, noopener» target="_blank">@ysjagan

, met Prime Minister <a href=«https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=» https: class="" rel=«nofollow, noopener» target="_blank">@narendramodi. pic.twitter.com/oQCFpMHPye

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href=«https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/1755864705762021857?ref_src=» https: class="" rel=«nofollow, noopener» target="_blank">February 9, 2024

The development would have been watched closely by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been in the national capital for a couple of days, and earlier met Shah. Sources from both sides indicated later that the BJP had clinched a deal with the TDP and its ally Jana Sena Party (JSP) for the simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls coming up in Andhra.

Under Jagan, the YSRCP has extended support to the BJP at the Centre on its legislative initiatives on almost every critical occasion. However, a section in the BJP has