Chandrababu Naidu to rejoin NDA soon, seat-sharing question remains: Sources

Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is reportedly soon to announce its re-entry into the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Sources have also stated that the only obstacle hindering the formal declaration is the ongoing negotiations over seat sharing.

Sources from both the BJP and TDP have reportedly acknowledged that the announcement of TDP's return to the NDA fold will happen ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The primary point of contention that needs to be resolved is seat-sharing, involving both the TDP and the BJP, with additional considerations for actor Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena party, sources added.

Lok Sabha and Assembly polls will be held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh this year. 

The proposed formula for seat allocation, as per sources, suggests a distribution of 18 seats for TDP, two seats for Jana Sena, and five seats for the BJP in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP is keen to contest on anywhere between six to eight seats.

TDP, the main opposition party in Andhra Pradesh, fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections with the NDA when Telangana was yet to be formally separated. The BJP had then fought three seats and won all of them out of the 42 seats in the united Andhra Pradesh state.

In 2018, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) withdrew from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, the fallout had severe repercussions for the party in the 2019 elections, where it managed to secure only three Lok Sabha seats.

Subsequently, the TDP lost control in the state to the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress, which has mostly supported the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key issues for the last five years.

Last month, Chandrababu Naidu met Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in New Delhi, fuelling the speculation of TDP's return to the NDA fold.

Naidu met Shah at the Home Minister's residence where JP Nadda was also present. If Naidu returns to NDA, it will be the second major regional party to have done so after Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped ties with Mahagathbandhan and joined its fold last month.