Hyderabad:
The Telugu Desam Party or TDP is reluctant to go with the BJP in Seemandhra, not so much because they don't have significant presence, but because there has been anger against the BJP for having supported the Telangana Bill. (
Read: Telangana BJP says no deal with Chandrababu Naidu)
In Telangana, the BJP feels going with the TDP will add to them the burden of its chief Chandrababu Naidu being perceived as being anti-Telangana.
But beyond all that, both sides are keen on the tie-up as:
1. The TDP cadre presence (despite loss of leaders) in Telangana villages and towns (especially Backward Classes) would certainly help the BJP. The Telugu Desam's backbone has been Backward Class support and they constitute 56 per cent of electorate. (Most BJP candidates in Telangana keen on tie-up with TDP)
2. The Narendra Modi factor will be a big plus for the TDP in Seemandhra. The TDP would like to project that having Mr Modi as prime minister and Mr Naidu as chief minister would be the ideal development mantra for a new state.
3. The thinking is also that if BJP-TDP manage a good number and no one gets a clear majority, they could team up with TRS to form a government in Telangana. (The TRS is obviously keen to have a relationship with the BJP post elections, especially at the Centre)
4. Mr Naidu is reportedly desperate after sitting out for 10 years and keen to not allow any split in votes to spoil his chances, especially in Seemandhra. So if the Modi factor will work for him, like tying up with the BJP in 1999 when a pro-BJP wave was witnessed post the Kargil war, he will want to use it.
5. The BJP also feels in the long term that there will be a leadership vacuum in TDP in Telangana and they could consolidate by 2019.