Let TDP speak about alliance, says BJP

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh BJP will launch an election campaign from February 9 with Palleku Podam programme, said party state vice-president V Suryananrayana Raju. He said the party will initially launch a three-day programme and later take up ‘Praja Poru Yatra’ from February 20 to 29 for 10 days. He said the BJP national leadership so far has not decided on alliance with other parties in the state. He said irrespective of alliance prospects, the state party has recently inaugurated 25 offices at the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies for the polls and is preparing the poll strategy.

Speaking to The Hans India on Saturday, Suryanarayana Raju said vice-presidents, general secretaries and other senior leaders are gearing up for the elections. National leaders, including home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, party president JP Nadda and others will tour Andhra Pradesh this month and take part in the meetings and polls campaign.

Asked about the alliance with the TDP, he said the party leadership will decide about the poll alliances. He said so far, the party national leaders have not announced any alliance with any political party. “Let the TDP top brass speak about the alliance. They should come forward and express their views. It is the TDP which left NDA before the 2019 elections,” he said.

The BJP leader further said the BJP national leader recently visited Vijayawada and held a meeting with the state BJP leaders where diverse opinions were expressed on the alliance with other political parties.

Suryananrayana Raju said the BJP state unit will go ahead with its own agenda as the people of Andhra Pradesh prefer Narendra Modi as Prime Minister once again. “Public opinion in Andhra Pradesh is in favour of PM Modi. The state leadership has already inaugurated 25 offices in 25 districts for the poll preparations and campaign. Twenty-five Lok Sabha seats in the state are divided into five clusters and the BJP national leaders will hold meetings with the leaders and in-charges of the five clusters,” he explained.

Suryanarayana Raju further said the party vice-presidents and general secretaries and all important leaders will contest the elections. He said the state BJP leaders will follow the instructions of the party leadership and plan the poll campaign accordingly.

He said the Jana Sena Party is still the alliance partner of the BJP and Pawan Kalyan is in touch with the BJP national leaders. He hoped that the BJP will improve its performance compared with the past in the ensuing general elections.