Andhra Pradesh BJP has not raised a single issue against the ruling dispensation in the State. The party leaders had gone into complete silence after the saffron brigade got Somu Veerraju as its new president. At one point of time, the party leaders were under the impression that both the YSRCP and BJP are going to develop close ties in the State. Given the BJP’s posture against the TDP and the closeness of its new president to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, everyone assumed that the two parties would be hand-in-glove in everything they do.
For reasons unknown, Somu had remained mum over several reports of alleged attacks on the Hindu temples in the State. However, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have reportedly taken serious exception to his silence and not coming forth to condemn the burning of temple chariot at Antarvedi.
The sulking response of Somu made the Hindu organisations take matter into their hands to organise ‘Chalo Antarvedi’ programme on their own forcing the BJP leaders in the State to fall in line. The missing three silver lion idols of the temple chariot of Durga temple in Vijayawada has made things more complicated to the new BJP president.
The mounting pressure on the new president has compelled him to raise his voice against the incident. However, striking a balance, Somu blamed it on the officials without a word on the failure of the State government. The VHP leadership has reportedly taken serious exception to the silence of the State BJP leaders and registered their protest with the BJP national leadership at Delhi.
Whispers in the party circles claim that the BJP high command has given a dress down to Somu. He was reportedly asked to mend his ways, forcing him to adopt a tough stance against the State government and YSRCP.
GVL tastes Amit Shah’s anger!?
BJP Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao was always seen up in arms against the TDP when it was in power and even when it is out of power. But Rao’s critical assets to attack the opposition parties has gone into cold storage after the YSRCP had come into power. The RSS leaders in the State have grown apprehensive about the sudden change in the heart of the BJP MP and took up the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Shah, who was discharged from the hospital, after a full health checkup had reportedly inquired about the spate of attacks on temples in Andhra Pradesh. He reportedly asked GVL and other leaders as to what they were doing following the reports of attacks on temples in the State. Sensing trouble, the BJP leader had prepared a comprehensive report of 18 alleged attacks on the Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh since the last one year.
The YSRCP has found it tough to digest as Rao, who has been maintaining cordial relations ended up submitting a report accusing its government doing nothing to contain the repeated incidents of temple attacks. However, questions are raised whether BJP can fight against the ruling YSRCP? Because 37 of its own party leaders were slapped with cases alleging that they have a role in breaking the glass fixtures of a church.
Will BJP fight with YSRCP?
The AP BJP leaders are reportedly planning to nurture ties between the BJP and the YSRCP, and alternately project itself as a formidable option in Andhra Pradesh replacing TDP. This was the reason why BJP leaders have been shying away from criticising the YSRCP and the State government – unlike, its former State president Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, who was critical about the ruling party.
The saffron brigade in the State had reportedly given more importance to politics than fighting on people’s issues. It continues to criticize TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu who is now sitting in the opposition.
BJP is yet to make a dent and gain strength on its own in AP. Seniors in the party have reportedly expressed their disappointment over the national party appointing Somu Veerraju as new state party chief. What’s bothering the party leaders in AP more is the deterioration of whatever support base left for the party in some pockets of the State.
Party sources say that it is high time for the Somu Veerraju, GVL and other leaders in the party to genuinely fight on issues bothering people rather than raising their voices against the YSRCP and the State government ‘out of compulsion’.
