The BJP is trying hard to fill the vacuum created by the Congress in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. But it says it is coming to power here especially in Telangana.
Coming to power here in Andhra and Telangana may not become a reality but in these two states the BJP can occupy the position of main Opposition as well.
The choice of these states for the party’s expansion is clearly aimed at marginalising the Congress than capturing power in these states. But the recent meeting of Congress VP Rahul Gandhi at Sangareddy has made the TRS and also the BJP to stand up and look at it.
In fact the response for the Congress VP was better than that for the BJP Chief.
The BJP’s effort to expand the party’s support base in states like West Bengal, Odisha and Tripura in the east and Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the south is clearly aimed more at marginalising the Congress.
Even when the BJP registered a massive victory, winning 282 Lok Sabha seats, during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the party only managed to win seven of the 166 Lok Sabha seats which these six states account for.
Like in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where the BJP is trying to expand with the help of forming an alliance, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the BJP is making an effort to expand its support base in alliance with local parties.
In AP, the party contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the N. Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party; it polled 7.2 per cent votes and won two Lok Sabha seats. Similarly in Telangana, the party contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with TDP; it polled 10.5 per cent votes and won one Lok Sabha seat.
The BJP performed better compared to the Congress in AP Congress polled 2.9 per cent votes.
But all said and done the BJP here in Telangana wants to contest on its own and come to power which is just a pipe dream.
U.Srinivas
Editor
