Andhra Pradesh BJP chief may be announced only after conclusion of Karnataka polls

VIJAYAWADA: Even as the State BJP leaders anxiously wait for an announcement regarding the next president of the party’s Andhra Pradesh unit, sources in the party said that it may happen only after the conclusion of Assembly elections in Karnataka. The polls would be held on May 12 and the counting is scheduled for May 15.

According to a senior leader holding a key position in the BJP State unit, party’s national president Amit Shah may visit the State to install the successor of incumbent president K Hari Babu. “The plan is yet to be finalised, but our national president is most likely to visit the State after the Karnataka elections. He would focus on AP once the fate of BJP in Karnataka is known,” he said.

He further said that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari may also pay a visit to AP soon. “If Amit Shah’s visit to AP doesn’t materialise, he would summon all the leaders to Bengaluru or any other city in Karnataka to discuss the party’s action plan,” he observed.

A legislator from the State, who pleaded anonymity, told TNIE that BJP is in the process of readying a plan to ‘go with full force’ against the TDP. “It will scare the TDP away. In a month’s time, we will start implementing our plan,” the MLA said. He did not want to elaborate on the plan, but said, “It will be something unexpected.”

Meanwhile, the BJP is gearing up to release a booklet on the assistance given to AP.