BJP wooing senior leaders in Kakinada

Kakinada: The BJP's operation to woo senior leaders into the party kick-started in East Godavari in July third week. The first to respond was two term MLA from P Gannavaram on behalf of TDP Pulaparty Narayana Murty.

According to party state official spokesman Nalla Pavan Kumar, several leaders who lost the assembly and LS polls from TDP, Jana Sena and Congress are very much keen to join the BJP not only from East Godavari but also from other parts of the state for greener pastures.

The leaders are from Visakhapatnam, Nellore, East Godavari and other districts, he said. Some of these are former TDP MLA from Amalapuram, Jana Sena Lok Sabha contestant from East Godavari and a Jana Sena contestant who lost election from Nellore district.

According to Pawan Kumar, who was entrusted with the task, due to Karnataka BJP episode the party leadership has not concentrated fully on AP issues and now they are back into action.

There are 9 MLAs from TDP who are willing to join BJP under the leadership of a former minister from Visakhapatnam, he said. This issue is at negotiations stage. "As the Karnataka episode was over, our leadership is now expected to concentrate on operation 'Aakarsh'," Pawan Kumar said.