Soon after Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan made a statement claiming he had not ‘moved away’ from the BJP and harboured respect for Union Home Minister and party President Amit Shah, Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao said that Pawan Kalyan was welcome to join the BJP.
Stating that any regional party was welcome to merge with the BJP if they liked and agreed with the BJP’s methods, and respected the party’s central leadership, Narasimha Rao said, “Pawan Kalyan has claimed that he never moved away from the BJP, that he stands with us. TDP leaders have made similar statements, that they respect the party’s central leadership, that they respect Amit Shah. The same TDP leaders have pelted stones and said negative things about the Prime Minister and Amit Shah. There seems to have been a change of heart now, they are saying pleasant things. If there has indeed been a transformation, regional parties are welcome to join us.”
Narasimha Rao also said that prior to the 2019 elections, the BJP had invited the JSP to form an alliance, but Pawan Kalyan had rejected the offer. “His comments now seem like he is willing to work with us. But it shouldn’t be just for political gain. But it shouldn't be just for political reasons, to climb on our shoulders to dodge bullets. There are still four-and-a-half years left for elections in Andhra Pradesh. If they’re really willing to join us, I am even ready to take initiative. But if they’re only doing it for immediate political gains, it’s not like we will not understand that,” he said.
In the 2014 elections, JSP had supported the BJP-TDP alliance. However, by 2019, both the JSP and TDP had exited the NDA. In 2019, JSP contested the elections in an alliance with the BSP, CPI and CPI(M).
Narasimha Rao also condemned Pawan Kalyan’s recent statements regarding Hindu leaders’ role in inciting communal violence. “Pawan Kalyan has said that the reason for communal violence is Hindu leaders, that Hindus are reason for religious tolerance. There are political motives behind these statements. He must take them back and promise people that he will not make such mistakes in the future,” Narasimha Rao alleged.