BJP begins screening of ticket aspirants

Vijayawada: BJP Andhra Pradesh unit on Saturday began screening applications from aspirants who wish to contest the Assembly polls in the state. The BJP screening committee is working for two days, on Saturday and Sunday, at the state party office in Vijayawada and will submit a report to the national party in Delhi.

BJP joint national organising secretary Shiva Prakash, BJP AP chief Daggubati Purandeswari, former chief Somu Veerraju and other leaders on Saturday met the in-charges of the districts of Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra regions, the in-charges of Krishna and Guntur and discussed the details of the aspirants. The AP BJP received over 2,500 applications from the candidates from across the state.

In-charges of the districts, state and national leaders of 14 districts of Andhra Pradesh visited the state office on the first day Saturday. The leaders of the remaining districts will visit on Sunday.

On Saturday, an industrialist from Rayalaseema Valligatla Reddappa joined BJP in the presence of party state president Purandeswari and other senior leaders at party state office.

So far, BJP has not announced its alliance with other parties in the state. BJP national leaders visited Vijayawada in January and spoke to the state and national leaders to elicit their opinion on whether to contest polls alone or to go with TDP-Jana Sena.

Alliance or no alliance, the state BJP earlier held a meeting with social media teams, Minority Morcha leaders, Kisan Morcha leaders, Mahila Morcha leaders in the state during the past few weeks as part of poll preparations.

Defence minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh also recently visited Vijayawada and Vizag and held discussions with the party leaders as part of the poll preparations. BJP state president Purandeswari on Saturday reiterated that the BJP national leadership will take a decision on the alliance with other political parties and the state party is mainly focusing on strengthening its organisation. BJP leaders Bitra Sivannarayana, Kasi Viswanath, Vishnukumar Raju and other leaders were present.