The state unit of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh will witness a heated election in December to the post of President. Party insiders say that there is an effort to prevent incumbent President Kanna Lakshmi Narayana from getting a second term.
Several prominent BJP leaders from the state are in the fray. Sources in the BJP say there is an active push to either elect present state unit Vice President Vishnu Vardhan Reddy or Rajya Sabha MP Y Sujana Chowdary. MLC PVN Madhav is also in the race for the BJP state presidents post with support from old loyalists. Meanwhile, Lakshmi Narayana, who took over in 2018, will also vie for the top post.
A loyalist close to Kanna Lakshmi Narayana told TNM, “We are working hard to improve the state BJP at the ground level. But recently a senior veteran who was the ex-national president of BJP and an ex- central minister met Amit Shah and said that we are ruining the party.” The source claimed that the veteran leader was pushing Vishnu Vardhan Reddy’s name for BJP state President. “For him it’s about caste,” he alleged, claiming that BJP’s fortunes in Andhra were sacrificed for the TDP.
The BJP has been unable to make a dent in the recent Andhra Assembly polls, with the party barely securing 1% vote share in the state. The party has traditionally been a non-player in active politics in the state.
But in recent months, a number of TDP and Congress workers have defected to the BJP, with the party making inroads in villages with the assistance of the RSS.
While the BJP was in an alliance with the TDP in 2014 for the Lok Sabha and state elections, the latter chose to break away in 2018 over the Centre’s failure to grant Andhra special status. But after the TDP’s rout in the Andhra Assembly Elections, former Chief Minister and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu has been trying to repair his relationship with the BJP. BJP insiders allege Naidu is using his clout within the party to try and influence its internal election. The aim is to elect a state president who is favourable to him.
“The veteran leader who is close to Naidu is suggesting the name of Vishnu Vardhan Reddy. Sunil Deodhar, the party’s state co in-charge and those close to him are suggesting Sujana Chowdary. The old guard of the party led by Somu Veerraju is suggesting the name of MLC PNV Madhav,” alleged the aide close to Lakshmi Narayana. “Since the TDP party is over in Andhra, Naidu wants Lakshmi Narayana out of the president post or move to Delhi, so that he can run BJP through a proxy,” alleged the source.
Speaking to TNM, Sujana Chowdary denied that he had suggested anyone’s name or was involved in trying to undermine the present BJP state President’s efforts to secure a second term. “100% no. I have not suggested anyone’s name to anyone. I am only an organisation man and observer for the state, all leaders new and old are equal for me.”
While the leader stated that the post of president will be based on election and cannot be predicted, he also stated, “It is the call of Amit Shah and other leaders who will decide who becomes the President.” Speaking about the alleged efforts by Naidu to try and influence the elections in the AP BJP, he said, “Naidu should try to first save his own party before trying to divide other parties, he has no stake within the BJP anymore.”