Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): The allies of the National Democratic Front (NDA) in Andhra Pradesh have finalised the seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls following a marathon discussion on Monday.
As per the seat-sharing agreement, BJP will contest six Lok Sabha and 10 assembly seats and Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will contest 17 Lok Sabha and 144 assembly seats. Pawan Kalyan's JanaSena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats.
The seat-sharing formula was finalised at a meeting between senior BJP leader and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat TDP supremo Naidu and JanaSena chief Kalyan in Amaravati yesterday. Earlier on Saturday, TDP's return to the NDA fold was decided at another meeting in Delhi between the BJP leadership and TDP chief Naidu.
Announcing the seat-sharing formula on his X handle, Naidu wrote, "In Amaravati today, the BJP, TDP and JanaSena forged a formidable seat-sharing formula. With this significant step, the people of Andhra Pradesh now stand on the threshold of reclaiming our State and paving the way for a brighter future. I humbly call upon my people of Andhra Pradesh to shower their blessings upon this alliance, and grant us a historic mandate to serve them."
Andhra Pradesh has 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats. The JanaSena was initially supposed to contest 24 assembly and three Lok Sabha seats, but it got 21 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats after the TDP joined the NDA alliance.
The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be the first time that the three parties would contest together. In 2014, the TDP and BJP were in alliance but JanaSena fought separately.
In a joint statement, the NDA allies said, "We are committed to the progress and development of Andhra Pradesh and the upliftment of the people of our state. We are committed to the development of our nation, aspiring for India to rise as a global leader...All parties agreed to make the interests of the state and its future the utmost priority and key driving factor of the seat-sharing discussions. We hope this will lay the foundation for a bright and progressive future".
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