Jagan govt is in for a three-way blitzkrieg

Following the debacle in Karnataka and the situation not so good in Chhattisgarh, while it is a 50:50 chance in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP seems to have had a change of heart and mind. The saffron party which was so far in two minds about taking on YSRCP now seems to have decided to expose the omissions and commissions of the state government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

While the BJP national president J P Nadda went hammer and tongs at the YSRCP government at Srikalahasti two days back, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday made more severe comments and appealed to people to see that BJP gets 20 out of 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections from AP. Shah knows it well that this is just not possible but the inner meaning of this statement clearly indicates that the possibility of an understanding between TDP, Jana Sena and BJP is on the cards.

He also made it clear that whatever the state government was claiming to have done was with funds from the Centre and not from the state funds. The YSRCP has converted Vizag into a hub for anti-social elements and land mafia is ruling the port city region. He said AP is at number three position in respect of farmer suicides.

Free rice given by the Modi government is distributed by the Jagan government with his sticker on it. Shah reeled out his charges against the YSRCP one by one. It appeared that he wanted to compare the work done by Modi with Jagan’s and tell people how the state government was neck deep in corruption while Modi had given a corruption-free government in nine years. It now remains to be seen how a section of the state BJP leaders would act or react to this change in the stand of BJP top brass towards YSRCP. It is known fact that a section of the state leaders including state president are soft towards the Jagan government and so far, they confined themselves to some on and off statements against Jagan in a mild tone. Their attack used to be more on TDP.

But with the fast-changing political equations, how the state unit will put its differences on back burner and take on the YSRCP government remains to be seen. As of now, the indications are that there may not be direct alliance at this stage. Each one, TDP, BJP and Jana Sena will take up state-wide campaign against the YSRCP in their own way and may be a little ahead of the polls they will come to some seat adjustments - either formally or informally. Whatever their strategy may be, one thing is clear that henceforth it will not be a smooth sailing for the YSRCP government. All these three parties TDP, Jana Sena and BJP will once again make Amaravati as a major poll issue and link everything to the alleged corruption in the state.

Shah’s comments have set the tone for campaign in Andhra Pradesh. The maze is now getting clear and battle lines are being clearly drawn. This scathing attack comes just two days ahead of the launch of campaign by Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan in his newly acquired vehicle ‘Varahi.’ There seems to be some nervousness in the ruling party circles over these developments as they imposed Section 30 of CrPc which puts all kinds of restrictions on public meetings and road shows. But the Jana Sena is determined to go ahead with its pre-scheduled programme. What turn things would take now would create lot of political interest and more twists and turns seem to be in store for the people of AP.