BJP gives up Andhra Rajya Sabha seat as K Annamalai exits party

Fast-moving political developments in the Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party appear to have had a ripple effect on the NDA's Rajya Sabha seat-sharing arrangement in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

In a significant development, the BJP has given up its claim to a Rajya Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh as part of a revised seat-sharing formula worked out among NDA allies. According to sources, the seat was earlier reportedly being considered for former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai, who has resigned from the party.

According to sources, NDA leaders, including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan and state BJP leaders, held a meeting in Amaravati on Thursday to finalise the new arrangement for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Under the revised formula, three of the four Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in Andhra Pradesh will go to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), while the remaining seat will be allotted to the Jana Sena Party (JSP).

Sources said the earlier arrangement envisaged one seat each for the BJP and JSP, with the remaining two going to the TDP.

The NDA leaders also decided to hold three public meetings in Tirupati, Amaravati and Visakhapatnam later this month as part of efforts to strengthen coordination among alliance partners.

The change in the seat-sharing formula came amid Annamalai's political future and departure from the BJP.

Annamalai held a series of high-level meetings in New Delhi on Tuesday (June 2) involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, and the party's national general secretary (organisation), BL Santosh.

According to sources, Annamalai briefed the leadership on the political situation in Tamil Nadu and explained the reasons behind stepping away from the party.

During the discussions, the former IPS officer is understood to have verbally informed senior leaders that he wanted to resign.