HyderabadThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in its new campaign to gain land in Andhra Pradesh, is focusing on wooing backward castes along with the influential Kapu community, and the major regional parties – YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and is attacking. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – On “Dynastic Politics”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Andhra to unveil a statue of revolutionary hero Alluri Sitarama Raju and his announcement to nominate screenwriter KV Vijayendra Prasad to the Rajya Sabha have raised the pitch of the party’s campaign in the state.
The BJP has a considerable presence in the other Telugu speaking state, Telangana, thanks to its gains in the 2020 Hyderabad municipal election and victory in the 2021 Huzurabad assembly by-election. The party, which has four Lok Sabha MPs from the state, is now aiming to come to power in 2023.
In contrast, the mission is not at such an advanced stage in Andhra, where elections are due in 2024. However, the BJP is making renewed efforts to expand its influence in the state, as part of its larger expansion goal. Your footprint in South India.
An acclaimed director and screenwriter, Vijayendra Prasad penned the script for the blockbuster bahubali Voting. Directed by his son SS Rajamouli bahubali as well as hit telugu movie ‘RRR’, about an imaginary friendship between Raju and fellow revolutionary Komaram Bheem. Both Raju and Bhima fought for the tribal people of the areas which are now in Andhra and Telangana.
Shri V. Vijayendra Prasad Garu has been associated with the creative world for decades. His works reflect the glorious culture of India and have made their mark on the world stage. Congratulations on being nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 6 July 2022
On Telangana Foundation Day (June 2), Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made a passing reference to eminent personalities, including Raju, in the context of Hyderabad’s resistance to the Nizams’ rule.
Modi then unveiled a 30-feet high bronze statue at Bhimavaram on Monday to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri. This gesture also occurs in the centenary year of the Rampa rebellion led by Raju.
A senior BJP state leader said, “The unveiling of Raju’s statue will help BJP reach Visakhapatnam and twin Godavari districts, where tribal people constitute 4 per cent to 10 per cent of the population.”
Read also: BJP’s ‘dual strategy’ to woo Andhra, behind Modi’s unveiling of Alluri Sitarama Raju’s statue
Focus on Kapu vote, Pawan Kalyan alliance
In Andhra Pradesh, the BJP played a second role to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) until 2018. It won two Lok Sabha seats and four assembly seats in 2014 in alliance with the TDP, but secured a vacant seat in the 2019 general election.
At present, the mission of the BJP is to replace the TDP with the main opposition party. The party is backing actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, which draws strength from the Kapu community. According to another BJP leader, a predominantly agrarian community, the Kapus are believed to constitute about 20 per cent of the total population of Andhra. The community has influence in over 39 assembly constituencies, especially in East and West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts.
Other major communities include the Reddys, who account for only 5 per cent of the population, and the Kammas account for 10 per cent, according to the BJP leader. While the Congress and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) largely draw their strength from Reddy, Kamma is the backbone of the TDP.
In such a situation, BJP is trying to make inroads in the vote bank of the backward castes. State BJP president Somu Veeraraju is a Kapu – a backward community – and so is his Telangana counterpart Bandi Sanjay. Veeraraju’s predecessor Kanna Laxminarayan also belongs to this community.
“One of the reasons for our failure in Andhra is that we have been dependent on alliances. Firstly, we invested with TDP and there is still ambiguity (on the agreement). At the Centre, we are cordial with the YSRCP, but fighting in the state,” the BJP leader quoted above. “Pawan Kalyan is exploring options to join hands with TDP. What are the options left for us? Illusion is harmful. ,
BJP President JP Nadda in June Told Instead of worrying about political alliances, the party leadership in Andhra should first form organisations.
One political commentator feels that the BJP has a lot to do before it can be counted as a major force in Andhra. Head of the Department of Political Science, Andhra University, Prof. Patti Premanandam told ThePrint, “If Pawan Kalyan, TDP and BJP join hands, then only they will be able to harm the YSRCP. When it comes to welfare programs for the poor, Jagan is doing the same thing as Modi. He has launched at least 20 schemes for the poor, women and youth.
Read also: Performance matters, not my age, says 72-year-old TDP chief Naidu as he aims to reclaim Andhra
dynastic politics pitch
Ahead of the 2021 Tirupati Lok Sabha by-elections, the BJP tried its tested Hindutva card by launching a yatra, but was able to garner only 57,000 votes, compared to over 6 lakh for the YSRCP. Unlike Telangana with a history of Nizams’ rule, another BJP leader argued, the BJP’s rhetoric on ‘appeasement politics’ is unlikely to yield any concrete results in Andhra.
With no Muslims present in large numbers, party leaders and analysts say that the BJP, except for some influence in the pockets of Rayalaseema (one of the state’s two major regions, which includes eight south-western districts), should This strategy is unlikely to be of much benefit.
“It needs a story of corruption and dynastic politics apart from strong organization to bring popular sentiments against YSRCP. Our effort will gain momentum only when we are able to get proven leaders from TDP or YSRCP,” said the first BJP leader cited above.
“We had prepared a road map to strengthen 45,000 booths and 9,000 Shakti Kendras. The party has asked its state unit to tap the beneficiaries in the constituencies. The visits of Union Ministers to the districts have been made a regular exercise. Initially we got 2-3 per cent votes in Telangana, which later increased to 20 per cent. Telangana script can be replicated in Andhra.”
Premanandam also insisted that Hindutva politics would not deliver goods in Andhra unlike in Hindi-speaking states. “Polarization is difficult. Regional identity is more important than polarization in Andhra. People still remember Modi’s speech in Tirupati, promising special status to Andhra (in 2014). Things can change if BJP announces a package and gives approval for a railway project and other pending infrastructure projects,” he said.
The BJP is being seen at a serious disadvantage for failing to keep its promise of granting special category status to Andhra. This was seen in the 2014 and 2019 state elections when its vote share stood at 2.18 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, NOTA (1.5 per cent votes) outperformed the BJP (0.96 per cent).
Looking at the election results, the road ahead is long for the BJP in the absence of a cadre on the ground and on emotional issues. The party is now looking to raise its voice against dynastic rule – a topic that was discussed in the Hyderabad National Executive meeting that ended on 3 July.
“Jagan has opened the exchequer for the church and for populist schemes. The neglect of temples will be highlighted. Both (TDP N. chief Chandrababu) Naidu and Jagan are promoters of dynasty. Jagan is slowly becoming a symbol of corruption. Our resolve to end dynastic rule will open our way in the state,” claimed Sunil Deodhar, BJP national secretary and co-in-charge of Andhra.
(Edited by Tony Rae)
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