BJP to go solo in AP?

Vijayawada: A galaxy of leaders of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and BJP chief J P Nadda, would be touring extensively in Andhra Pradesh during February.

The saffron party wants to contest all the 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats making it a four-cornered contest in the state. Now this raises many questions. So far, it has been saying that Jana Sena is its ally. But Jana Sena is fighting the polls in alliance with the TDP. So, whom does the BJP want to help? On its own, the BJP does not have a strong base in Andhra Pradesh.

It can hope to win a couple of Assembly seats and maybe one Lok Sabha seat if it takes at least indirect support of the TDP-JSP combine. This being the situation, why should it think of contesting all the 175 seats? What is the reason behind this decision? The top leaders of the party will hold roadshows and public meetings extensively. What would be the party line in the state? Will they go whole hog against the ruling party or will it only showcase its achievements at the national level?

Hans India tried to get an insight into such questions in an informal chat with BJP state vice president PVN Madhav.

Madhav said the state unit of the party has taken up countrywide campaign called Viksit Sankalp Yatra and the state leaders are touring the state and explaining the people about the Central government schemes. He said the state has been divided into five zones with each zone comprising five Lok Sabha constituencies.

He said the BJP top leaders will conduct the roadshows and address public meetings in the state as part of the efforts to strengthen the BJP in South Indian states.

He said the state level committee will be formed to prepare a manifesto for the elections and a plan has been drawn to tour the villages extensively. The focus would be more on the Central government schemes.

When asked about alliances, he said the state unit had given its opinion to the national party and it was now for them to take a decision.

He said the state BJP leadership is holding meetings with the social media teams and other BJP affiliated associations like Minority Morcha, OBC Morcha, Mahila Morcha, Kisan Morcha, etc. He said the party is also gearing up to collect the applications from the candidates, who wish to contest the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.