VISAKHAPATNAM: At least 13 MLAs belonging to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are ready to join BJP. Of them, five to six MLAs are in touch with the party Central leadership, BJP official spokesperson and in-charge of AP and Telangana P Raghuram here on Sunday.
Speaking to TNIE here the BJP leader said the party leadership, however, was yet to give its nod for their entry as it was now focusing on strengthening the party from the grass-root level in AP ahead of elections to local body elections. He said a large number of party workers from TDP, Jana Sena and even YSRCP were joining BJP in the State. There will be more joinings of former MPTCs and ZPTCs belonging to all parties at Eluru in West Godavari district on Monday, he said.
Raghuram said BJP launched ‘one booth - 10 youth’ programme and also ‘Shakti Kendra’ for five polling booths apart from membership drive to strengthen the party in the State. He said party image suffered dent due to campaign unleashed against BJP by Chandrababu Naidu during his tenure.
Naidu’s strategy had, however, boomeranged on TDP as the TDP suffered a drubbing in the elections, he said. BJP was now focusing on improving its strength in ‘jamili’ elections which may be held in 2022.
He said the Jagan Reddy government was adopting negative politics and its rule was reflecting its inexperience in administration. He said flood victims of Godavari were waiting for relief for the last five days in Godavari districts. Power cuts were being imposed in villages in the evenings daily, he said.
Ridiculing the decision to stop all the projects in the name of review, he said development had come to a standstill in the State.
Construction workers bore the brunt as thousands of workers were rendered jobless for the last couple of months and steel prices also crashed affecting the industry, he said and added that development was a continuous process and any corruption in a project should be brought to fore without affecting its progress.
He said investors’ confidence was low due to YSRCP government’s decision to review PPP in the energy sector. He wondered how the State government which was facing deficit budget would mop up funds for its ‘Nava Ratnalu’ programme.
He said people gave a massive mandate to YSRCP and it should rise to expectations of people.
However, now people were feeling that their position was like falling from the frying pan into the fire, he said. He said Modi popularity graph was on upward following revocation of Article 370.
Besides, it was implementing a host of programmes to improve infrastructure facilities in villages and small irrigation projects.
‘Modi popularity graph going upward’
BJP official spokesperson and in-charge of AP and Telangana P Raghuram said Modi’s popularity graph is going upward swing following revocation of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, it is implementing a host of programmes to improve infrastructure facilities in villages and small irrigation projects. MSME sector was given a big push as it will provide employment for thousands of youth, he said.
3,000 Muslims join BJP
Kurnool: More than 3,000 people from the Muslim community joined the BJP in the presence of MP TG Venkatesh on Sunday. Venkatesh, who was attending the party’s membership drive event here, had recently joined the party. “Now is the correct opportunity for Muslims to strengthen the nation as it is going through a testing time,” he said
Ramakotaiah makes a comeback
Visakhapatnam: Cheruvu Ramakotaiha on Sunday joined BJP after resigning as advisor of the AP Endowments. He joined the party at Vijayawada in the presence of Kanna Lakshminarayana, CM Ramesh and Pydikondala Manikyala Rao, according to a statement issued.