Prez poll: YSR Congress to support BJP

New Delhi: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Capital and pledged the support of his party MLAs and MPs for the BJP’s Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates in polls for the two posts that will be held in the next few months.

Mr Reddy’s meeting with PM Modi lasted for over half an hour at the PM’s official residence. After the announcement, the MLAs and MPs of the party will now support the ruling BJP’s candidates for these elections.

“We will support any candidate the BJP fields as we have very less difference in opinion. Except for differences on the land acquisition Bill and special status for Andhra Pradesh, we share similar opinions on various issues which we think are pro-people,” Mr Reddy was quoted by news agencies as saying. “Also, the BJP has enough support for its candidate to win. Opposing their candidate and fielding another will not make sense,” he was further quoted as saying. Interestingly, Mr Reddy is the leader of the Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly where the ruling TDP is a partner of the BJP-led NDA alliance, which is in power at the Centre. The presidential election is scheduled in July and various Opposition parties are in talks to put up a candidate against the BJP’s Presidential candidate. That’s why the YSRCP support now has come as a boost to the BJP and NDA for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls.

Mr Reddy also sought better support price for chilli farmers of the state and granting of special status to Andhra Pradesh during the meeting.