The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national leadership, which had previously been focusing on the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, and Karnataka, has not shown much interest in Andhra Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
With the elections in Tamil Nadu concluded, the party is now directing its attention towards Karnataka and Kerala, which will go to polls in the second phase on April 26, with campaigning scheduled to conclude on Wednesday.
Indications suggest that the BJP will shift its focus to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which are scheduled to go to polls in the south in the fourth phase on May 13. The nomination process has already commenced and will close by April 26.
According to sources, the BJP national leadership has begun inquiring about the developments in Andhra Pradesh, where it has entered into an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party.
Sources indicate that the feedback received by the BJP central leadership suggests that all is not well with the alliance at the grassroots level, and there have been numerous irregularities in the selection of party candidates.
The central leadership has received several complaints alleging that TDP president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is playing a key role in seat allocation to the BJP and even in the selection of candidates, in collusion with his sister-in-law, BJP state president Daggubati Purandeshwari.
They have pointed out to the central leadership that at least half a dozen candidates who received BJP tickets had previous affiliations with the TDP. It wouldn't be surprising if they defect to the TDP after the election.
The BJP central leadership is also investigating reports of non-cooperation from the TDP and Jana Sena Party cadres towards BJP candidates in some areas, casting doubt on whether there will be any transfer of votes from the TDP and Jana Sena to the BJP.
There are also reports that TDP and Jana Sena contestants in certain constituencies, particularly in Rayalaseema and central Andhra, are instructing BJP cadres not to attend their rallies, citing potential loss of minority votes. This is said to be embarrassing for the BJP.
The BJP central leadership is reportedly gathering such information from various sources. Once the elections in the three phases are concluded, senior BJP leaders will intervene to address the issues, according to sources.