TDP-BJP talks hinge on Mahajan's visit

HYDERABAD: The BJP, which has been very quiet on its seat-sharing talks with the TDP, said on Tuesday that all aspects of its electoral tie-up with the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh will be completed by March 10.
This was declared by state BJP president N Indrasena Reddy at a press conference. However, the talks will hinge on Pramod Mahajan visiting the city or TDP leaders going to New Delhi to finalise the seat-sharing deal.
Indrasena Reddy said the reports from the party’s three teams of leaders that have visited half the districts and met district and constituency level leaders on Monday and Tuesday brought cheer to the BJP.
Hedging questions on just how many seats the BJP will ask the TDP for, Indrasena Reddy said the reports from all the districts were that the BJP will win from any constituency in the state. Once the three teams submit their reports, the state level leaders would finalise the constituencies and prepare a case for bargaining seats. However, this exercise will have little to do with the number of seats the BJP will ask for from its ally and that aspect has been left to Pramod Mahajan by the party.
Indrasena Reddy said no date has been fixed for Mahajan’s visit to the city for talks with the TDP.
In the 1999 elections, the BJP got 24 Assembly and eight Lok Sabha seats as part of its arrangement with the TDP. This time round, the BJP hopes to get more seats at both levels but is learnt to be willing not to press for too many Assembly seats in return for a ‘decent’ increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats.