The recent MLC elections in which the BJP faced a humiliating defeat have sparked a heated debate within the party. Not only did the party lose, but it also failed to retain any of the seats it contested for, including its sole sitting seat in North Andhra graduate constituency. MLC PVN Madhav, who was the party's sitting member, fared poorly, receiving fewer votes than invalid votes.
Former MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju attributed the BJP's loss to its association with the ruling YSRCP, which led voters to believe that the two parties were secretly aligned. He further stated that voters had chosen to support the Telugu Desam Party instead. He warned that if this trend continues, the BJP could suffer more losses.
He is known for his pro-TDP stance all the time and now one wonders whether his logic will improve BJP's chances even a bit. Raju also commented on the anti-incumbency sentiment that drove voters towards the TDP. He added that the election results reflected the mood of the state's voters, and that even the YSRCP's use of power and incentives would not have made a difference.
He urged the BJP, Jana Sena, and TDP to come together to defeat the YSRCP, which he claimed was losing the support of voters. According to Raju, the Andhra Pradesh BJP should take cues from its Telangana counterpart and strengthen itself as a credible opposition to the ruling party. This move would enable the BJP to become a formidable force in the state's political landscape.
All said and done, how does the TDP alliance make BJP stronger? Andhra BJP needs to grow on its own and cannot hide between TDP and throw stones at YSRCP. Blaming the Jagan government doesn't make things any better for Andhra BJP.
