Sai Reddy Vs Purandeshwari: AP BJP Silence!

The war of words between AP BJP state president Daggubati Purandeshwari and YSRCP Rajyasabha MP Vijay Sai Reddy have now become a talking point among political circles in Andhra Pradesh. Ever since Purandeshwari was appointed as BJP president of AP a few months back, she started condemning some of the policies and activities of the ruling dispensation in the state.

Last week, Purandeshwari drafted a three-page letter to the CJI and urged the Supreme Court to bring the pending criminal cases against Vijay Sai Reddy to closure in six months by immediately cancelling his bail. This unexpected development has grabbed the headlines and made Andhra politics very interesting because the BJP has never strongly attacked the YSRCP government in the last four years.

As a counterattack, Vijay Sai Reddy resorted to wild personal allegations against her. He stated that Purandeshwari has the habit of consuming liquor. He also flayed at her for playing a hand-in-glove role in supporting the TDP party and also attempting to save Chandra Babu Naidu using her influence in Delhi. Even Kodali Nani also attacked Purandeshwari for her letter.

Surprisingly, the top brass of BJP is playing the role of a mere spectator in the ongoing intense tussle between Purandeshwari and Vijay Sai Reddy. No prominent leader from the state BJP has come in support of their president. Usually, leaders of political parties lash out at opponents whenever such incidents happen. But, the BJP is maintaining a stoic silence on the issue, which is indeed very shocking.

It all started when Purandeshwari decided to take the fight against the YSRCP after she assumed charge as the state BJP president. She pointed out the irregularities in the liquor policy deployed by the Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government in Andhra Pradesh. She criticized the government for taking a U-turn on its poll promise regarding a blanket ban on the sale of liquor after coming to power in 2019. She alleged that the YSRCP is minting crores of money through the sale of liquor.

In her allegations, Purandeshwari said both Vijay Sai Reddy and Mithun Reddy siphoned off huge money through the liquor mafia in the state. She exhorted the Centre to take serious note of the irregularities committed by these two MPs and also requested to take stern action against them. Vijay Sai Reddy immediately challenged her remarks and asked her to come out in public with adequate proof supporting her claims. He also made personal remarks that Purandeshwari is well acquainted with the facts and figures because she consumes liquor frequently.

Irked with Vijay Sai Reddy’s comments, Purandeshwari immediately wrote to the CJI. Her letter became a big sensation because no BJP leader in the last few years made such attempts against any of the YSRCP leaders. Now, Vijay Sai Reddy and other YSRCP leaders are continuously attacking Purandeshwari and there seems to be no end to the war of words in the near future.

What is more baffling in this entire issue is that no BJP leader has come forward to support its president so far.