With 24 seats in deal, can Pawan Kalyan ever dream of becoming Chief Minister, even if TDP-JSP alliance wins?

AMARAVATHI: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) finally condescended to the Jana Sena by allotting 24 seats. Much against the strong desire expressed by self-proclaimed mentor for Jana Sena and former minister Chegondi Harirama Jogaiah that the Jana Sena should demand 55 Assembly seats and five Lok Sabha seats, the JSP was restricted to a niggardly 24 and three respectively.

As it appears, there is no dignity in the number of seats given to the Jana Sena, which got barely 13.7 percent of total number of Assembly seats.

Now, the big question staring at the Jana Sena leaders is how they would convince the largest chunk of Kapu voters to cast their votes in favour of the TDP in the constituencies where the JSP would not contest. Will the vote transfer happen between the Jana Sena and the TDP? This is the big question that, for now, remains a puzzle.

Chandrababu Naidu, in fact, had his way in the alliance. He stuck to his guns and ensured that Pawan Kalyan did not cross the brief of the 24 Assembly and three Lok Sabha seats. When it comes to fielding candidates, Naidu will have his say. For he is notorious for encouraging “rebels” in the seats given in poll alliance.

As is his wont, Naidu apparently began tutoring Pawan Kalyan about the possible narrative he should dish out in the event of a smaller number of seats were allotted in the alliance. Accordingly, Pawan Kalyan began crooning the tune that had he won at least 10 seats earlier, he could have demanded more from the TDP.

It may be recalled that Pawan Kalyan upbraided his party leaders, sympathisers and aspirants that they could not be demanding a larger chunk, while “sitting at home without moving into the people seeking votes in the earlier elections.”

Pawan Kalyan almost repeated the same sermon indoctrinated by Naidu and apparently very well ingrained into every nerve of the actor-turned-politician.

Also Read: TDP to contest 94, Jana Sena 24 Assembly seats in first list; new entrants too get chance

Pawan Kalyan, who was beaten hollow in the erstwhile elections in truncated Andhra Pradesh since 2014 – first time, he had chickened out of the contest fearing a defeat and the second time (in 2019), as the people proved his worst dreams come true, has apparently been gaslighted by the TDP supremo who is known for his political machinations when it comes to alliances.

Now, with barely two dozen contestants, Pawan Kalyan hopes to have “98 per cent strike rate” meaning victory in at least 23 seats. Or at least that is what he has announced sitting alongside the political titan Naidu, who would deliberately posture himself expressionless at times that warrants him to do so. Thus, Pawan Kalyan had to convince his cadres that the mere 24 seats was his choice and “not thrust on him by anyone.”

Chandrababu Naidu, while making the announcement, made a tongue-in-cheek statement that “for now, the pact between the TDP and the Jana Sena is confirmed. If the BJP comes, as said by Pawan Kalyan, let is see about that tie-up.” Naidu made a boisterous and lofty claim of surveying the opinion of 1.03 crore people for preparing the lists.

What’s more interesting is that the TDP’s first list has the names of Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam), Nara Lokesh (Mangalagiri) and Atchannaidu (Tekkali), but the Pawan Kalyan’s name was conspicuous by its absence in the first list of Jana Sena.

Well, Pawan Kalyan, indeed, dashed the hopes of his fans and party cadres by settling for less than 15 percent of seats in the hard bargain. He will have to answer to all those who hoped that he would be the Chief Minister as to when would that dream be realised, if at all and if ever.

With such a measly number, can the proverbial tail wag the dog? Perhaps, not.