From just seven states in 2014 to 17 in 2022, the BJP’s footprint has grown beyond traditional strongholds to conquer new forts like the Northeast. But breaking the Vindhya wall has been difficult so far. In this special series on the BJP’s penultimate pitch, News18 takes a look at the saffron party’s renewed push for electoral success in South India.
In Part 3 of the series, we take a look at the BJP’s blueprint for Andhra Pradesh, a tougher terrain than Telangana, as it campaigns to emerge as a major alternative to the YSRCP and TDP.
Playing second role for Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Andhra Pradesh As of 2018 – the year the organization led by Nara Chandrababu Naidu left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – Bharatiya Janata Party Emphasizing on strengthening its organization in the state.
Party leaders believe it has come a long way in the southern state, claiming that the next assembly election in 2024 will see a triangular contest.
From not relying on a major regional party to quelling infighting, the BJP is trying to ensure that it emerges as a key alternative to local stalwarts like the ruling Yuvajan Shramik Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and the TDP.
Pawan Kalyan – a key ally for BJP’s Andhra plan
News18.com has learned that the BJP is planning to join hands with actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan in Andhra Pradesh.
It aims to bring together a strong regional player as part of its strategy before the next election. Not relying heavily on the existing cadre, which includes a large number of TDP sympathizers, the BJP forged an alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party. With Kalyan’s popularity in the state, the BJP is expected to give up the tag of an ‘outsider’.
BJP and Pawan Kalyan need to go together. We are trying to work out a joint action plan
Kalyan may have been close to the opposition and rumors about him have been doing the rounds time and again, but the BJP believes that the alliance with him is not short-lived.
Speaking to News18.com, Andhra Pradesh BJP in-charge V Muraleedharan said that Pawan Kalyan is part of the NDA, but admitted that better coordination is needed with him.
“BJP and Kalyan need to go together. I keep in touch with them regularly and we are trying to work out a joint action plan and it is being discussed. When it is ready, we will walk together,” the BJP leader said.
Muraleedharan is also the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and works closely with all parties including YSRCP in Parliament to ensure smooth running of business.
“Floor coordination is different from Andhra politics. I will not mix the two. I keep floor coordination in Parliament separate from Andhra politics. When I go to the state I do not misuse my words against the government,” clarified the BJP leader.
Attempts were made to harm Brand Modi in 2019 but we will not allow this to happen again.
The BJP has taken to the streets to pressurize the YSRCP government over pending projects, apart from forging an alliance with regional parties. The issue of projects pending since the time of Chandrababu Naidu and YS Rajasekhara Reddy has been raised by the BJP in the state and it is being taken out. trips to garner support.
Expressing confidence in the BJP emerging as a force in the state, party national secretary and co-in-charge in Andhra Sunil Deodhar said, “It may take months or years but we will emerge as an alternative to the politics of corruption. And the politics of appeasement in this state.”
Banking on Brand Modi
Betting big on his popularity, BJP leaders believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the face of the party in the state.
BJP’s Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao said, “In 2019, an attempt was made to harm Brand Modi, but we will not let it happen again.”
PM Modi’s image has improved at the national level and people have realized that we are fighting both TDP and YSRCP
While many leaders agree that the saffron party is yet to be acknowledged as a serious contender in the state, the party has taken to the streets to fight on issues that could harm the electoral prospects of YSRCP and TDP alike. Huh.
“PM Modi’s image has improved at the national level and people have realized that we are fighting both TDP and YSRCP. The negativity against us has reduced and we have been able to expose the fake propaganda of YSRCP and TDP against us.
Once a Congress stronghold, politics in Andhra Pradesh changed after NT Rama Rao’s entry and, at least, for the grand old party, it has remained the same. The BJP leader recalls that such was the penetration of the Congress that even after the Emergency, Andhra saw the party come back to power. With the Congress now a minor player, the saffron party’s hopes have risen.
Milestones in AP Politics and Lessons from the Past
According to GVL Narasimha Rao, there are three milestones relevant to the state, including the year 1983 when NT Rama Rao formed the TDP and won the elections in a short span of time. Then came 1994 when Rama Rao’s son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu deposed him and formed the government in alliance with the BJP. and 2014 is when Telangana It was separated from Andhra Pradesh.
“Hyderabad had a focused development for the last four decades. Be it hospitals, educational institutions, industries, or other infrastructure development projects, this episode has taught every politician a lesson worth learning,” Rao said.
Caste algorithm and how to fight it
While the BJP claims to be a party that seeks to appropriately include all castes in its strategy, the Reddy and Kamma communities – despite being around 12% of the state’s population – dominate its power corridors.
While the Congress and the YSRCP are primarily considered Reddy parties, the TDP has a massive Kamma vote bank.
Deodhar said that BJP is working on people centric issues which are above caste politics. “YSRCP did not give representation to four castes – Kshatriyas, Kammas, Banias and Brahmins in its cabinet expansion. There is not a single minister from any of these castes. JaganAnalyzing the changes in the cabinet, Deodhar said this is an issue which is likely to come up in the next elections.
He said that the BJP is an all-inclusive party which has given real empowerment to OBCs and SCs by giving them the highest position in the government and the party unlike Jagan’s YSRCP.
Read also | BJP leaders claim stone pelting on Shobha Yatra in Andhra’s Nellore, call for ‘bulldozer justice’
According to rough estimates of the party, the state’s population consists of about 4%-5% Kammas, 5%-6% Reddys, 25% Kapus, 2-3% Kshatriyas, 3%-4% Banias, 2% Brahmins. OBCs and SCs together constitute close to 50% of the electorate.
GVL Narasimha Rao alleged that the act of appointing five deputy CMs in Andhra Pradesh has been done to appease certain castes and has little to do with the power they can enjoy while in office.
While the BJP maintains that its politics is all-inclusive, its leaders in the state say that aspirational groups are kept in mind while formulating the strategy.
Andhra Pradesh – tougher area than Telangana
Telangana gave BJP four MPs but in Andhra the magic has not been repeated yet. Top party leaders described its performance in Andhra as disappointing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, despite the Modi wave again sweeping the country.
Ask Deodhar and he blames the “vicious campaign” against the saffron party by both TDP and YSRCP. The BJP believes that its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh led to the destruction of the Congress.
“Regional parties own the media and ran a propaganda campaign against us regarding the demands for special status to Andhra. When the PM had given a special package to the TDP government in lieu of the special status and he thanked them by calling a special session of the assembly, there was no need for the YSRCP to pressurize the issue and break ties. With the BJP,” Rao said.
The leaders believe that the campaign against the BJP has failed and people know that it was a political conspiracy. “Even today, whenever they see the BJP expanding, other parties start raising the issue, especially the TDP. The TDP also used the issue against the ruling YSRCP, which is also not raising the issue, lest it will be targeted by the TDP for failing to achieve special status,” Rao said.
Descent, Corruption and Conversions
For the BJP, the issues it is fighting against the ruling YSRCP are corruption, conversions, attacks on temples and the state’s poor financial condition. The saffron party believes that both TDP and YSRCP have proved themselves as a family led party, it is the BJP which is making people aware of an effective leadership.
BJP leaders say the YSRCP is “rotten and corrupt” and has commercial interests in sand mining and liquor trade. “This corruption has become centralized and is done on a large scale,” alleged a senior BJP leader.
Party representatives say that many temples have been attacked, idols of deities were vandalized, yet no action has been taken against the culprits. “140 idols were desecrated, yet no one was arrested, while someone threw stones at a church and 40 were arrested. We are alone on the streets against this appeasement politics,” claimed Deodhar.
Read also | How can the state become Sri Lanka if welfare schemes are implemented, Andhra CM Jagan Reddy asks Naidu
Senior leaders believe that the conversion of backward castes to Christianity is also an issue that the BJP has flagged in the state. However, it is the issue of attacks on temples that has captured its energy recently.
BJP claims that farmers, industrialists and government employees are in financial trouble in the state.
“The state government takes a loan to give it free of cost. Central schemes do not reach the beneficiaries as the state does not give its share in the scheme like drip irrigation. Hike in power tariff is a big issue and power cut is also a big issue. The payment of the contractors who had constructed the roads is still pending as the state does not have the resources and the state roads are in bad shape.
anti appeasement movement
Another major issue that the party plans to raise is the alleged appeasement of Muslims by the YSRCP government. While rivals blamed the BJP for the polarisation, it alleged the role of PFI and SDPI in the state.
“Incidents are increasing and an atmosphere is being created. Watch the communal clashes in Kurnool district of Andhra. There are about 5% Muslims in the state and we are raising our voice alone. I have raised this issue in Parliament also. Jagan has an anti-Hindu government and it is not us who are discriminating on the basis of religion,” Rao said.
silence on amravati
The BJP says the state has the right to decide its own capital, but having three capitals would mean “three episodes of corruption”. The party has raised the issue of farmers who have not been given plots in developed areas in lieu of the land acquired from them.
It is also preparing a list of pending projects which were announced by former chief ministers and which are yet to be completed by their successors.
No alliance with TDP
Senior party leaders say TDP MPs have attended the meeting called by Sonia Gandhi and there is no scope for an alliance with Chandrababu Naidu’s party. However, there are many in the BJP who want to make TDP an ally.
,struggle with them (we keep fighting them); There are some people who have their own vested interests but they will not be able to succeed in their plans.
Rift in YSRCP and TDP, BJP benefits
The BJP says it is inviting everyone and welcoming anyone who agrees with the party’s ideology with open arms. Relying on infighting in the YSRCP, the BJP believes that around 50 YSRCP MLAs may resign just before the assembly elections.
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