Andhra politics heat up as Pawan Kalyan meets Chandrababu Naidu

Hyderabad, Jan 8:  Actor and Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader Pawan Kalyan met Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on Sunday.

The actor-politician called on the former chief minister at the latter's residence in Jubilee Hills. The two leaders were discussing latest political developments in Andhra Pradesh and the possibility of the two parties working together on various issues.

They are likely to chalk out a joint action plan to fight against the recent order issued by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government prohibiting public meetings on roads.

The TDP chief was barred from conducting road shows and addressing meetings last week during his visit to his Assembly constituency Kuppam in Chittoor district.

The controversial Government Order (GO) was issued in the wake of December 28 stampede during Naidu's road show at Kudukur in Nellore district that claimed eight lives.

The opposition parties have slammed the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government for the restrictions, calling it an attempt to muzzle the voice of opposition. All the opposition parties have demanded the government to immediately withdraw the GO.

Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan are likely to discuss and evolve a joint strategy to counter the move by the Jagan government.

The two leaders are understood to have discussed the possibility of forming an alliance for the next year's elections.

Pawan Kalyan is an ally of BJP and he is keen to bring TDP on board for a grand alliance against YSRCP.

This is the first meeting between the two leaders after Pawan Kalyan had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November. The JSP leader had met Modi during the latter's visit to Visakhapatnam.

This was Pawan Kalyan's first meeting with Modi after 2014. After the meeting, he had expressed hope that this will bring good days for Andhra Pradesh in future.

Chandrababu Naidu had called on Pawan Kalyan in Vijayawada in October last year to express solidarity with him after the police had denied him permission to hold any meeting in Visakhapatnam. After the meeting, they had declared that they would strive to protect democracy in the state.

Naidu had said that he was pained at the way Pawan Kalyan was treated by the police in Visakhapatnam. Pawan Kalyan had thanked Naidu for the visit and said there was a need for all political parties and people's organisations to come together and save democracy.