Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu politics now revolves around a Rajya Sabha seat

Two days ago, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met in Delhi and reportedly discussed about a vacant Rajya Sabha seat along with a host of other issues. The seat fell vacant due to resignation of former YSRCP leader V. Vijayasai Reddy. Now, he has become a vocal voice in the alleged liquor scam case being probed by authorities under the current TDP-led coalition government against those associated with the past YSRCP government. The Rajya Sabha seat, whose by-election is on May 9, has thrown up the name of K. Annamalai, former Tamil Nadu BJP chief, indicating that this is an important move for the saffron party ahead of reforging ties with AIADMK and in view of the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections next year. A lone Rajya Sabha seat is in focus as it dictates politics across two states— Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh— and impacts multiple parties—TDP, BJP, YSRCP and AIADMK.

 

In January this year, Vijayasai Reddy, once a close aide of former AP CM and YSRCP chief, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, surprised everyone when he quit the party and resigned from his Rajya Sabha membership. He was seen as the YSRCP’s representative in Delhi and also served as the parliamentary party leader. He resigned in the backdrop of Kakinada ports scam case in which he was named as one of the accused by the state CID after the TDP-JSP-BJP had come to power. He was also investigated by the ED in the same case. The allegation against him was that he forced the management of Kakinada Seaports Private Limited to transfer shares to the company managed by his family members while YSRCP was in power. Though he had three more years for his tenure to end, Vijaysai Reddy dismissed allegations that he resigned abruptly to shield himself.

 

With his resignation, a seat had been vacated that by default will be grabbed by the BJP or the TDP since the NDA enjoys a majority in the state Assembly. Though Vijayasai Reddy declared retirement from active politics, he became active in the last few days. Speculations are rife that he could join the BJP. He was in the news for aggressively criticising the accused in the alleged liquor scam case in AP. He declared that he is the whistleblower in the case and is willing to spill the beans on the information he was privy to. Amidst this, it has become clear that Vijayasai Reddy is not in the Rajya Sabha race though there were rumours earlier that he could be fielded by the BJP. The seat, which should have ideally gone to the TDP since they are numerically stronger in the assembly, has instead fallen into the lap of BJP. The meeting between Shah and Naidu had apparently sealed the deal. The TDP seem to have left the seat to its ally, the BJP as a strategic decision in return for favourable allocations and decisions for capital Amaravathi capital and also future support for redevelopment of the state. Ever since YSRCP lost power in 2024, four Rajya Sabha MPs from the party quit their posts. In the by-elections held in December 2024, two TDP and one BJP MP got elected. Coming to the latest election, the buzz is that the BJP wants to nominate former BJP state president Annamalai from this seat in a bid to elevate him to Rajya Sabha.

 

Annamalai who has left for California to participate in the Stanford India Conference at the Stanford university, will return on April 27. At the conference in California on April 26, Annamalai will deliver the keynote address to engage with the Indian students and the diaspora. The timing of his trip and his return has triggered various speculations of his nomination to the Rajya Sabha.

 

Annamalai was asked to step down as the chief of Tamil Nadu BJP unit, as the national party chose to align with the AIADMK. Sources in the Tamil Nadu BJP say that Annamalai might be accommodated in the cabinet and might be given a lucrative portfolio as the high command is looking to accommodate him in a significant position, either in the party organisation or Parliament.

 

Incidentally, six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu will be falling vacant in July this year, of which two seats will be claimed by the AIADMK and its allies. Sources in the AIADMK say that the party will retain one for itself and might give one more term to PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss. So, the BJP’s option of getting a Rajya Sabha ticket through its renewed ally AIADMK is impossible. On the other hand, Edappadi K. Palanisami, the leader of opposition and AIADMK general secretary, is in no mood to accommodate Annamalai, as the latter is considered to be the sole reason for the AIADMK walking out of the NDA.

India