AP BJP Leaders Claim Game-Changing Strength in State Politics

After the coalition government came to power in Andhra Pradesh, all the attention has been on the main parties — TDP and Jana Sena. Although the BJP is also a partner in the coalition, there haven’t been any notable signs of the party making much noise or asserting itself in the past year. Despite widespread corruption and irregularities in the government, no one has spoken out openly. Now, with Madhav taking charge as the new Andhra Pradesh BJP state president, a debate has begun on whether BJP leaders will now raise their voice more strongly. On Tuesday, during Madhav’s assumption of office as the new president, Vishakapatnam North MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju made sensational remarks. He stated that the state government should realize how the situation would have been if BJP hadn't been part of the alliance. He mocked the claim that one party has 80% strength, another 15%, and BJP only 5% — calling it laughable. He urged that BJP should not settle for minimal seats in the upcoming local body and municipal elections, and asked the new president Madhav to firmly state this. He further said BJP’s strength is not just 5% — it is many times higher, according to Vishnu Kumar Raju.

Generally, Madhav is not known to have an aggressive nature, according to many leaders. However, they opine that the situation won’t be as smooth as it was during Purandeswari’s tenure. The very first day Madhav assumed charge saw sensational comments not only from Vishnu Kumar Raju but also from MP Pakka Satyanarayana, drawing significant attention. Pakka Satyanarayana, who was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh, also made key remarks on Tuesday. He made a sensational claim saying the BJP has enough strength in Andhra Pradesh to bring one party down from power and put another in power. A few days ago, Jana Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had also said that his party, which has a 40-year history, has been revived and strengthened by them. Now BJP leaders are echoing a similar tone, saying one must imagine how things would have been without BJP in the alliance — which is striking. However, in response to these developments, some BJP leaders themselves opine that a few leaders are speaking with personal agendas.