BJP's poor show in Nellore LS poll

Nellore: Even though, the BJP exhibited excellent influence across the country, the party gained only namesake votes in the district no better than even Left parties that usually compete in the elections. BJP MP candidate Sannapureddy Suresh Reddy secured only 12,513 votes failing to show existence of a national party in the district.

In fact, Nellore is having top leaders like M Venkaiah Naidu, K Anjaneya Reddy and others. But the party has been facing identity crisis due to non-performing leaders in the recent times. The constituency has been reserved for SC category since 1957 till 2004 and no BJP leader won from the district for Lok Sabha. It was made general constituency in 2009 and the local leaders got the chance to contest in the polls.

Though major political community in the district is Reddy and the glory of reserved candidates also ended with debut of upper caste leaders. Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, who contested in 2009 continued till 2014 elections and he left the elections during 2019 voluntarily and YSRCP candidate Adala Prabhakar Reddy, who earlier was defeated from the TDP in 2014, won the seat this time.

In fact, since independence, candidates from the Congress were winning the Lok Sabha polls in the district and the legacy continued till 2009. TDP won the polls only during 1984 and 1999.

But the strong force was BJP which got significant votes in the LS polls from 1991 to 2004. The party stood even in second and the third places during 1998 and 2004 elections.

"K Balakondaiah, G Lakshmi Narayana fetched with huge vote percentage from 1991 to 2004 polls. Balakondaiah got second and the third positions from the BJP and the trend gradually

declined. Now, the party is having namesake existence with no focus on strengthening the party at the grassroot level. The cadre disappeared and they started supporting other regional parties failing to digest the evolution," said a senior leader from the party.

Further, tie up with the Telugu Desam also affected the party where regional parties started cashing the situation. Now, the CPM which had political tie-up with Jana Sena bagged 18,830 votes which is more than BJP.

NOTA option was exercised by 17,161 voters in the entire Nellore LS constituency. Tirupati constituency is also no better than Nellore where BJP candidate gained only 16,125 votes in the current elections where NOTA option prefered by 25,781.

"The situation indicates revamping the present set up which works with no vigour and strong will to reinforce the party. The high command has to comprehend the situation while extending their activities to the South in future. Then only we see rejuvenation of the BJP," added the senior leader.