BJP to ditch Chandrababu, KCR?

The astronomical rise of BJP at the national level leadership in the last general elections seems to be emboldening party President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take some bold decisions and strengthen the party down south which has always been BJP's weak point.

Though BJP came to power in Karnataka, rampant corruption by chief minister Yedyurappa, brought it down with a thud. Now the party is looking to conquer Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on its own. It is also trying to rope in Rajinikanth in Tamil Nadu.

Though the party is in power in Andhra Pradesh along with TDP led by AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, the BJP is not content with it. In Telangana, the BJP is planning to get into the good books of the people by saying it supported Telangana formation right from the start, by taking on the ruling TRS.

Realising this TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is believed to have sent feelers to Prime Minister Modi that he will support BJP at the centre and even join the union cabinet.

Though BJP and PM Modi welcomed his support, inside talk is that BJP is planning to soon ditch Chandrababu Naidu and give KCR a royal igmore. Party sources say BJP national leadership plan to induct stalwarts from YSRCP and Congress in Andhra Pradesh and strengthen the party before the 2019 elections. BJP may even walk out of the Andhra Pradesh government.

By Pramod Nandivada