BJP will be in advantageous position in 2019, asserts spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao

VIJAYAWADA: Even as regional parties are trying to come together to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre in the 2019 elections, it will be the saffron party, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its face, that would claim the throne, said BJP MP and party’s official spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao. He claimed that regional parties coming together would give his party an edge.

Speaking to TNIE on wide ranging issues, Narasimha Rao, who is also a noted psephologist, said, “It will be an advantage for the BJP as the other parties are making it Narendra Modi versus other leaders. So, when people go to cast their vote, they will compare the benefits of having Modi and the other persons at the helm. Obviously, Modi will be their choice as there is no other leader who can match the PM’s credibility.” 

Even in the State, the same logic will apply as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has no credibility, Rao observed. “In Karnataka, though Siddaramaiah lost the election, he had some credibility as he was seen as a pro-poor leader. However, in Andhra Pradesh, the TDP government relies more on publicity than performance,” he said and added that the TDP has become extremely unpopular due to  its misgovernance.
Narasimha Rao noted that while Naidu at the helm could make a good ‘CEO’ of the State, the absence of an army of professionals among the cadre would go against the TDP. “Also, he has never won back-to-back elections in the past. So, he will lose this time around,” he predicted.

When asked about YSRC chief Jagan being a formidable force in the State, Narasimha Rao agreed and said, “We will grow as a significant party. But, come 2024, it is certain that one of them (parties in the State) would be out of political reckoning.”When asked whether BJP has reacted two-three months later than it should have, in countering the TDP’s allegations against it, he answered in the affirmative.

Admitting that the BJP leaders have a difficult task ahead in building the party, Narasimha Rao said, “We have a template ready to strengthen the party here. We have appointed Kanna Lakshminarayana as the new president of the State and are building it. It would be a difficult task as the TDP has marginally succeeded in projecting us as a villain. But things have started changing since the last one-and-a-half months.   The people are gradually realising the real picture now.”