For the last few days, the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Andhra Pradesh have been undertaking “Praja Poru” (people’s fight) programmes in different parts of the state, criticising the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in the state.
The ruling YSR Congress party, too, has not been taking the programme seriously, because the BJP is not a big force in the state and the people’s response to their meetings is also not very high.
Moreover, since the chief minister is maintaining cordial relations with the Centre, the YSRC leaders are not reacting strongly to the state BJP leaders’ comments, as they do not want to give much publicity to their talk.
However, the YSRC leadership is taking some of these BJP leaders seriously, because their comments appear to be favouring the TDP.
Obviously, these BJP leaders are more interested in bringing the TDP back to power in the state, rather than building up their own party.
Some of them, like Y Sujana Chowdary and C M Ramesh still have their loyalty for the TDP, though they deserted the party three and a half years ago to defect to the BJP. Even the BJP leadership knows they have affinity towards the TDP, rather than the saffron party.
In the recent past, BJP national secretary Y Satya Kumar, too, has turned out to be a mole of the TDP, though he had never been in the yellow party in the past. Because of his close connections with people like former Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu and Andhra Jyothy MD Vemuri Radhakrishna, he always sounds partisan towards the TDP.
So, whenever Satya Kumar makes any comments against Jagan or his government, the YSRC leaders react strongly. His comments at a Praja Poru programme at Kadapa on Friday evoked sharp reactions from the YSRC.
He said chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s popularity in his own Pulivendula constituency was dwindling and at present, he enjoys the support of only 51 percent in the constituency.
“I am not saying this out of hat, but this was revealed in a survey conducted by Indian Political Action Committee team headed by Prashant Kishor. Jagan will win the seat with a thin majority in the next elections,” he said.
He wondered how the chief minister who cannot get thumping majority in Pulivendula could expect to win 175 seats in the state.
“It is also surprising why Jagan is not touring Pulivendula regularly and conducting meetings, while he expects his party MLAs to be present in their constituencies,” Satya said.
What is worse, the BJP leader compared YSR Congress party with alleged terrorist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), which was banned a couple of days ago.
“Both of them have destructive thoughts and Jagan is ruling with the state such dangerous policies,” he alleged.
Naturally, the YSRC leaders have reacted strongly to Satya’s comments.
“One wonders whether this man belongs to the BJP or TDP. He is behaving like a TDP secretary, as every comment of his is aimed at benefitting the TDP,” YSRC leader and state roads and buildings minister Jogi Ramesh said.
He said everybody was aware whose words Satya Kumar was parroting and their background.
“Nobody knows who this Satya Kumar is in the state. The people know that the schemes being implemented in AP are there in any of the BJP-ruled states,” he said.
Jogi Ramesh warned Satya of dire consequences if the latter continued to sling mud at the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
