After weeks of stating that he would only indulge in ‘constructive politics,’ Jana Sena Party chief and actor-politician Pawan Kalyan questioned the alliance between the ruling TDP in Andhra and the BJP at the Centre on Saturday.
The actor who has taken a break from films to focus on the 2019 elections, took to Twitter and questioned the TDP’s move to accept the special package offered by the Centre earlier, and then crying foul after the recent Budget session of Parliament.
“The announced “Special Package” by centre & accepted by TDP then - Now People would like to know why the sudden realisation now that it’s not working (sic),” he tweeted.
Pawan Kalyan had campaigned for the TDP-BJP combine during the 2014 general elections, but has since begun criticising both the parties.
The JSP chief also emphasised on the need to form a Joint Fact-Finding Committee (JFC), comprising of economists, financial experts, ex-public servants, academicians, socio-political leaders etc, to look into contradictory statements made by the state and central government.
“Joint Fact-Finding Committee (JFC) will objectively analyse the promises made in the AP bifurcation Act, without any personal, political or ideological bias. Based on that report, political action will be decided by the Joint Political Action Committee (JPAC).”
Leaders in the state have been agitating as the Centre has been refusing to honour the promises as mentioned in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Pawan recently expressed interest in forming a Joint Action Committee (JAC) and wished to meet like-minded persons regarding the same.
This came before the actor-politician met Lok Satta founder Jayaprakash Narayan in Hyderabad on Thursday, and discussed a few issues.
The announced “Special Package” by centre &accepted by TDP then - Now People would like to know why the sudden realisation now that it’s not working.
— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) February 10, 2018
When JSP had been saying all along with few others that it is a Regular“State Package“ where the funds would have come anyhow according to devolution method as the state’s right.
— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) February 10, 2018
There is an urgent need for a Joint Fact Finding Committee(JFC) comprises of Economists, Financial experts, ex-Public servants,Academicians, scholars, Socio-Political Leaders to probe into conflicting & contradictory statements of State& Centre.
— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) February 10, 2018
Joint Fact Finding Committee(JFC) will objectively analyse AP bifurcation act promises without any personal, political or idealogical bias. Based on that report political action will be decided by Joint Political action committee(JPAC)
— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) February 10, 2018
Is the TDP not confronting BJP?
The state is witnessing fiery politics ever since ‘injustice’ was meted out during the recent Union Budget.
The TDP has been upping its ante and threatening to break its alliance with the NDA, with TDP MP Jayadev Galla recently mocking the Centre and its poor allocation, stating that the box-office collections of 'Baahubali' were more than the funds provided to Andhra Pradesh.
While many are all praise for the MP on social media, political observers feel that it is necessary for TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to continue its partnership with the BJP to safeguard the 2019 elections.
They point out to the second part of Galla’s speech, where he said, “We still have trust and believe in the Finance Minister and Prime Minister, but we demand a comprehensive explanation.”
Nagaraju Jinka, a senior journalist and political observer said, "Naidu and his party are trying to create an impression that they will break away from the NDA, but for Naidu’s survival in 2019, tying up with the BJP or some other ally is inevitable."
He also pointed out that the TDP had already moved away from the ‘injustice’ in the budget, to demanding that the Centre fulfil its bifurcation promises.
It is also important to note that the BJP needs an ally in Andhra Pradesh as well, where it lacks grassroot-level cadre.
Author and political analyst Dr Jilukara Srinivas says, “We need to understand that the so-called ‘Modi image’ is also fading away, as shown during the recent polls in Rajasthan and his home state of Gujarat."
Some analysts also feel that except in Karnataka, where the BJP has managed to ‘communalise’ the politics, it is going to accomplish little in the Telugu states.