In a curious turn of events, Jan Kalyan party chief Pawan Kalyan met BJP Working President J.P. Nadda on Monday at his residence in Delhi.
Kalyan is believed to have requested the central government’s “intervention” in the ongoing row over Andhra Pradesh’s new capital Amaravati.
Apart from Nadda, BJP General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santosh and the party’s young MP from Karnataka Tejasvi Surya were also present.
This meeting comes just days after Kalyan spoke out against the prevailing confusion over Amaravati.
On Friday, Kalyan had said, “Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-lead Union government should take the lead and conduct an all-party meeting on proposal of three capitals and problems faced by Amaravati farmers.”
Elaborating the logic behind his demand, he had said, “BJP played a significant role in bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and they were partners in the first government formed after the bifurcation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also came for the foundation ceremony of Amaravati. They should stand in support of Amaravati farmers and help them in finding a solution.”
Scores of Amaravati farmers have mounted a massive agitation demanding that the Andhra Pradesh government drop the move to shift the state capital from Amaravati.
Interestingly, Kalyan’s meeting with the BJP comes at a time when the BJP has been actively trying to make inroads into Andhra politics. The latest RSS event was also held in Andhra Pradesh and a VHP conclave also targeted the state, for allegedly being “anti-Hindu”.
Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister had hinted that the state could have three capitals, like in South Africa. But this left farmers who parted with their land feeling betrayed, and they launched the protest movement.
