Andhra Pradesh elections: Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena party allies with Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP
Hyderabad: Acor-politician Pawan Kalyan on Thursday announced a poll alliance between his Jana Sena party and the Telugu Desam Party led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Naidu was recently sent to Rajahmundry Jail for a fortnight following his arrest in an alleged scam case amounting to Rs 371 crore.
Standing alongside Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh, and brother-in-law, Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna, Kalyan criticized the Andhra Pradesh government for what he deemed a "wrong" arrest, reported NDTV.
"Today I have taken a decision Jana Sena and Telugu Desam will go together in the coming election. This is not about our (his party's) political future... but the future of Andhra Pradesh," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
This morning, Kalyan and Balakrishna visited Naidu in jail, following a ruling by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday, which stated that the TDP chief would remain in custody at least until Monday.
With the state gearing up for an Assembly election next year, Kalyan emphasized that they "cannot afford YSRCP," referring to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party.
"He did not fulfil his promises and is looting... from liquor he is making cash," his alleged.
Kalyan added that Naidu’s arrest was "purely political vendetta... condemn this arrest. I had to stand by Lokesh and Balakrishna because of YSRCP and Jagan."