BJP finds itself in a bind in Seemandhra region

Discontent brewing in party district units in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema areas following support to bifurcation

The support extended to the A.P. Reorganisation Bill in the Lok Sabha by the BJP has landed itself in political quicksand in the Seemandhra region at a time when the general elections are round the corner.

Discontent is brewing in its district units in the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema areas as the feeling that the party has cheated the people of the Seemandhra region is gaining ground in the last few days.

The party’s rank and file have, since the passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha, been at pains to explain that the injustice meted to people here would be undone in the Rajya Sabha by securing a handsome financial package and getting the proposed amendments accepted.

But by remaining committal to bifurcation, the party has further reduced whatever little chance it has to win a seat or two in the elections.

Cadre confused

By failing to espouse the cause of unified State, the party has frittered away the popularity it recently gained in the Seemandhra region, largely due to the publicity blitzkrieg that it has unleashed across the coastal districts seeking victory for its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

The Bill fiasco has left BJP cadres in a confused state, so much that they are virtually groping for answers to some uncomfortable questions people will confront them with in the coming days.

Party district president R. Venkata Krishna is himself upset with the way his national leaders handled the bifurcation issue in the Lok Sabha and dropped hints of his quitting the party soon, provided the damage is not controlled in the Upper House about which the local cadres are still hopeful.

Mr. Venkata Krishna told The Hindu that the mood was not against the BJP till six months ago, but it changed for the worse after its Central leadership allowed the Bill to be passed in the Lok Sabha without first securing firm assurances on the interests of the Seemandhra region.

Party Seemandhra Udyama Committee chairman Y. Raghunadha Babu said the party was still committed to Telangana, but at the same time it was not oblivious to the plight of the Seemandhra region.

He observed that Sushma Swaraj should have passed the amendments to the Bill in the Lok Sabha, which she could not do for technical reasons.