In his three-day visit to Andhra Pradesh, the BJP national president Amit Shah will be dedicating most of his time to setting things right at the grass-roots level as well as at the top.
Though the party is expected to take a call on selecting the new president for the State, as the present president K. Haribabu’s term has been completed, the central leadership of the party is more keen on strengthening cadre at the grass-roots level across the State.
As per the majority opinion in the State BJP, the party could not make any headway in strengthening itself as a force despite its alliance partnership with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The party is now planning to take concrete steps to strengthen the cadre, according to party sources.
The current visit of Mr. Shah is a part of the nationwide tour, according to Mr. Haribabu. “He is here for three days, August 28, 29 and 30 in A.P. As part of the wide variety of programmes planned, Mr. Amit Shah will be spending time with booth committee members in Vijayawada, will be dining at a Dalit party worker’s home and meet small and big leaders within and outside party,” said Mr. Haribabu.
Disappointing show
Based on its own intelligence reports, the BJP leadership is disappointed at the way the current Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) campaign is being handled. It all started with differences in seat sharing with the alliance partner TDP. Initially, the BJP and TDP wanted to contest all 48 wards in the corporation and even filed nominations for all. Later, after directions from the top, the BJP settled for nine wards. Now, party sources say it is in a very uncomfortable position in more than seven wards in terms of chances to win.
Sensing the scenario, the TDP is encouraging rebels to win over the seats given to the alliance partner. Polling for the KMC is scheduled for August 29.
Litmus test
“The problem is simple. There is no coordination among mid-level leaders. Issues like caste, one up-manship and lack of commitment among some leaders are impacting the party,” said a BJP leader. The Kakinada Corporation polls can be taken as a litmus test for the state of affairs in the party, according to him. Sources also say that there are leaders who are even contributing to the defeat of their own party.
There was also an allegation that the alliance partner TDP specifically picked the wards for the BJP in which the Opposition YSRC Party is likely to have a clear edge.
Lack of seriousness
The party’s inordinate delay in selecting the party president also speaks of the BJP’s lack of seriousness in the party’s growth in the State, according to leaders in the TDP and Congress. Going by the indications from the State BJP, the selection of party president is ‘not a priority’ for the party during Mr. Shah’s visit.
However, names of BJP leader from the majority Kapu community and MLC Somu Veerraju, former minister Kanna Lakshminarayana and Challapalle Narasimha Reddy are doing the rounds as the likely candidates for the president post.
Long-term strategy
It is interesting to note that the BJP is keeping both the ruling TDP and the YSRCP in good humour. Going by the adage that there are no permanent friends and permanent enemies in politics, the national party in power apparently is contemplating a bunch of options to call shots in the 2018-19 elections.
In the process, the party is also watching Jana Sena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan closely. A senior BJP leasder said that the party is likely to consider a tie-up with Mr. Pawan, who belongs to the majority Kapu community. Incidentally, Mr. Pawan has announced that he would take part in active politics from October.
Meanwhile, the BJP has sent across a message that it will be contesting all the seats in the State. Going by the aggressive overtures of the party, especially in the southern states, it can be summed up that dramatic developments are not ruled out even in Andhra Pradesh.