BJP keen on long-term ties with Pawan

Hyderabad: The invitation extended by BJP to Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan to attend the NDA meeting is being seen as an indication of the intention of the saffron party to have a long-term relationship with Pawan so that it can improve its electoral fortunes in the state in future.

The BJP feels that Pawan had been able to swing the Kapu votes in favour of BJP-TDP combine in Seemandhra and hence they should continue the relationship with Jana Sena leader. Asking to him attend the meeting is not just a reciprocal gesture to thank him but it is to strengthen future relationship, BJP leaders here aver.

Meanwhile, TDP MPs Maganti Babu and Muralimohan and BJP MP K Haribabu called on Pawan Kalyan in Hyderabad on Monday Interstingly, Pawan's elder brother and Congress leader K Chiranjeevi feels that both the BJP and TDP were giving undue credit to Pawan for their victory in Seemandhra region. Speaking to reporters at Indira Bhavan here, Chiranjeevi said, it was wrong to say that the Congress party had lost its vote bank particularly that of the Kapu community in East and West Godavari districts. He said, "There is no Pawan effect on the Congress, which couldn't fare well in the polls".

He said there were several reasons for the rout of the party in Seemandhra and the party would analyse the causes and would bounce back in the near future.