BJP to lay more focus on AP, TS

The attention of the BJP national leadership is slowly, yet steadily, veering around the Telugu states. Going by the pointers noticed so far, the BJP leadership is ready to rev up its engines in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, sufficiently to gain the required momentum to take on the non-BJP governments – one friendly and the other not so any longer. So is it time for the 'double engine ki sarkar ' slogan here too? Could be. The problem for the BJP leadership with regard to the two states has been more with itself. It could not find leaders with the right temperament to lead the party to the next required level so far.

As far as Telangana is concerned, the party seemingly has struck some positive notes winning two by-elections in the recent times and also by making some significant gains in the Hyderabad Civic elections.

However, this still does mean much as the BJP had to throw all its heft in the said elections and it was easier to do so. With no significant 'talking points' in these elections, the BJP may have encashed on Narendra Modi's charisma thanks largely due to the youth force. The declining Congress influence on the voters and the groupism within, only helped the BJP surge to the respectable place that is being witnessed now.

Simultaneously, the BJP seems to be unleashing its 'dragons', investigative agencies, too on the TRS leadership in Telangana. The 'Delhi Liquor Gate' has the potential to disrupt the outwardly calm of the TRS top leadership. The primary target of the BJP being the AAP till date, the former is hyping its moves more there. The TRS suffered collateral damage in the process giving an added advantage to the BJP. It is sure to make full use of it in due course. It all depends on the decibel levels of the anti-Modi attitude of the TRS.

In the case of Andhra Pradesh, the 'business equation' with the YSRCP that was required so far for the central leadership of the BJP to steer clear of some Parliamentary agenda has been fully met. Is there room for any further 'give and take' is not immediately known between the two. But the political timelines of the Modi-Shah duo are quite specific and it does not rush through its moves unnecessarily. It was humiliated once in Maharashtra and Rajasthan. It did not repeat the move or the mistake until the situation was ripe in Maharashtra for a Shinde to emerge. In case of Rajasthan, it needs to tackle its own (Vasundhara Raje) and hence lying low.

Andhra Pradesh is a different kettle. It's more like Punjab. It is waiting for the ground realities to merge into a stronger coalition of anti-YSRCP forces which seem to be playing out accordingly. The Opposition in AP is desperate to beat the YSRCP, as a second term for it could mean an end to the future of the former. While it continues its 'cat and mouse' game in AP, the BJP is also evaluating the core strengths of the prospective coalition in the state. The cruise speeds of the party strategy for the two states are different though. Yet, the Modi-Shah duo, which sleeps very little, have been sparing some time and are looking to generate the right conditions for political storms in both the states vis a vis its investigative skills, it is being said.

This apart, both the states are facing a severe fund crunch problem. AP's finances are anyone's guess and there is little hope for the state to recover in near future. AP in particular is being accused of adopting weird fund raising strategies and diverting Central funds to clear its dues. Paying salaries to the employees has become a real challenge. Yet, its focus is only on somehow continuing its 'Revri business' despite warnings from the Centre. All that the Centre needs to do here is cut the government to size in this regard.