File photo of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu
Despite opposition from local leaders, the BJP is reportedly set to finally announce a deal with Chandrababu Naidu for the national and state elections in Andhra Pradesh.
Seven of 10 district presidents from the party have reportedly threatened to resign if that happens. But the partnership could propel the BJP closer to the 272 seats it needs to form the next national government.
Mr Naidu, 63, heads the Teulgu Desam Party or TDP. He was cagey about whether he supports the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, which was sanctioned recently by Parliament. The region of Telangana will be born as India's 29th state on June 2.
Mr Naidu is expected to be spurned by Telangana voters for not championing their cause. For the same reason, he is likely to be rewarded in the regions of Seemandhra that will form the down-sized Andhra Pradesh.
These areas have aggressively opposed the new map, not least because they will grapple with a reduced share of water and revenue from Telangana.
The BJP will contest eight of the 17 parliamentary seats in Telangana and five of the 25 seats in Seemandhra.
NDTV's opinion poll shows a big leap for Mr Naidu in Seemandhra; his party gets 14 of the 25 parliamentary seats at stake, according to the forecast. That's a gain of 10 seats from 2009. It will also give him the majority he needs to be Chief Minister of theresiduary state.
The opinion poll forecasts that of the 17 seats in Telangana, the Congress and K Chandrasekhar Rao of the TRS will get seven each. The TDP lands two.