HYDERABAD — India's main opposition the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given its one-time ally N. Chandrababu Naidu, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and the former chief minister of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, 24 hours to sign on the dotted line for a new partnership, but privately, both sides say they are hoping to strike a deal that could amplify their celebrations for the Telugu New Year or Ugadi. For weeks, both parties have been prevaricating over whether to jointly contest the national and state election. What's keeping them apart is recent history and considerable geography. There's been some quibbling over how many seats the BJP should get. But the stack of difference is over this: in Parliament, the BJP supported the law that calls for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The region of Telangana will be carved out as its own state — a welcome decision here, but a deeply resented one in the other two regions of Andhra Pradesh — referred to as Seemandhra, who feel their interests have been betrayed because they will lose a hefty share of water, power and revenue. In Telangana, the BJP has accrued some good will and its local leaders don't want an association with Naidu, who was ambivalent about his support for a new state, and tried to convince the BJP not to support the bifurcation proposal in Parliament. For the same reason, Naidu is popular in Seemandhra; the BJP isn't.
