VIJAYAWADA: With all eyes on the BJP central leadership, which is expected to name the new State president shortly, sources within the party said that the new appointee's duty would be to effectively counter TDP's false propaganda against the Centre.
Senior BJP leaders said that while consolidation of votes would also be on the to-do list, the party's plan is to refute the charges being levelled against it by its former ally.
"Our vote share in the 2014 elections was 7-8 per cent. So, our stakes are lower in Andhra Pradesh, and we are well aware of it. Therefore, our priority is to expose the true colours of the TDP," a senior party leader told TNIE. Even if the party loses its previous vote share in the process of exposing the yellow brigade, it would take it in its stride. "We have long-term plans in the State. Even if we lose some part of our vote share, it doesn't matter. However, we are confident that we would retain it as our base is growing stronger," he observed.
He said countering TDP would be no easy task, given the manpower and machinery TDP has in the State.
Another leader, who requested anonymity, said that central leadership will name the new chief keeping TDP's strength in mind. "The plan is to have a new chief who can aggressively go against the ruling party. The logic behind considering Kapu face is to occupy the space left vacant by the TDP. There is unrest in the Kapu community and our central leadership is looking to capitalise on it," he said.
There are four leaders in the BJP - Somu Veerraju, MLA Pydikondala Manikyala Rao, MLA Akula Satyanarayana and former minister Kanna Lakshminarayana -- who belong to the Kapu community. Former Union minister D Purandeswari and PVN Madhav are also in the list of candidates being considered, the partymen added.
Meanwhile, the BJP is also hoping to join hands with other regional parties in the State. "Though there are no such proposals now, we are thinking whether we will benefit from partnering with the existing regional parties (YSRC and Janaseena) in the State," the leader added.
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Our vote share in the 2014 elections was 7-8 per cent. So, our stakes are lower in Andhra Pradesh, and we are well aware of it. Therefore, our priority is to expose the true colours of the TDP
- A senior BJP leader