Telangana MP Says BJP Will Rule AP In 2024

Nizamabad MP and BJP senior leader Dharmapuri Aravind exuded confidence that the BJP will form the government in Andhra Pradesh too in 2024 elections. He said that the party would maintain equal distance from both the ruling YCP and the Opposition TDP in that state.

However, he said that the BJP would continue its tie-up with the Jana Sena and that the party leadership will decide about the political alliances before the elections.

None to oppose

Reacting to this statement, the public commented that irrespective of which party would win the polls, it is the BJP which will act as the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh. The YCP could have won with a thumping majority in the 2019 Assembly polls and also has a good number of MPs representing the party in the Parliament but the party does not raise any issues relating to the state as the party boss and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is mired in many CBI cases, people said.

Similarly, the TDP also is hesitating to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP given the humiliating defeat it suffered in during the last elections. Further, the party is in tatters what with the harassment being meted out to the party cadre by the YCP government.

There is talk in the political circles that TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu had learnt the lesson for his life by launching a tirade against PM Modi and would now not dare to at least look at him, as his party is in a very weak position in Andhra Pradesh and pushed to the oblivion in Telangana.

In Andhra Pradesh, the party won in a meagre 23 constituencies and does not have a sizeable number of MPs to mount pressure on the BJP-led NDA in the Parliament.

Neither the YCP nor the TDP had the guts to question the Centre on the injustice done to the state with regard to Polavaram, unfulfilled provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, divestment of Vizag Steel Plant, etc.

In that case, there would not be much difference whether the BJP wins or loses the elections. In either way, it is almost like the BJP is in the ruling as there is no opposition from any of the local parties having hold on the electorate in the state, felt political observers. Both the YCP and TDP have their own shortcomings and constraints to attack the BJP with vigour.

Centre’s retaliation

Moreover, it is the BJP handling affairs at the Centre from where funds need to trickle down to the states. This apart, any disobedience by the local parties in the state would be viewed seriously and the ED, CBI or NIA sleuths would swoop down on the ‘excesses’ by the political leaders.

In neighbouring Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K.T. Rama Rao are fighting full throttle against the BJP and its high-handedness but it has to be seen who would emerge victorious in the battle. The BJP had already shown its power by winning a couple of bypolls and is showing its strength in Munugode, while the Assembly elections are just a year away.

Will KCR also face the same fate of Naidu is the question haunting political analysts in Telangana.