In strategy mode

While the results of internal survey by BJP indicating that the BJP at the Centre was facing strong anti-incumbency factor in about 150 constituencies might have come as good news for the Chief Ministers of the two Telugu states, but it is time for both K Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu to indulge in introspection and see where exactly they stand.

The BJP at the central level is working on strategies to find ways and means to ensure that it retains power in 2019 and is willing to bend backwards where ever necessary. Claiming that politics is a dynamic situation, BJP is understood to have decided to drop some MPs if need be and replace them with new blood. From ‘Ache din’, the BJP may change its slogan to ‘Naye din naye Log’ because in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies. What matters is who wins the seat.

The BJP strategists led by Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are working overtime. They are said to be looking at two scenarios. One election as per schedule and second option elections by end 2018. As the political situation in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh where Assembly elections are to be held towards end of this year is dicey, the possibility of clubbing Assembly and Lok Sabha elections is not ruled out.

The party’s top two leaders Amit Shah and Modi who appeared to be firm that all those above 70 should be kept out of electoral politics, are now trying to reach out to them. Amit Shah is also making all out efforts to see that the RSS extends its full support to them. At the same time, he is also now reaching out to the NDA partners and according to the social media the list includes TDP. This could happen soon after Neeti Ayog meeting if analysts are to be believed.

Similarly, KCR is also closely monitoring the impact of various welfare schemes like Rytu Bandhu and insurance for farmers which were launched last week and is of the opinion that by making some minor changes in the candidates, he will be able to overcome the anti-incumbency factor without much difficulty.

The unhappiness among people in Telangana arises out of slow implementation of schemes like two bed room houses and creation of new jobs. This feeling is more among the poor and lower middle class. However, his greatest advantage is that there is no strong opposition here.

On the contrary, KCRs counter part in Andhra Pradesh is faced with several problems. The voters in AP continue to be divided on caste lines and political affiliations. Unlike in Telangana, Naidu also has to face financial problems in the wake of noncooperation from the Centre.

There are also allegations that some of his ministers and MLAs are deep rooted in corruption. The aspirations of the people are high. On the top of all this, he has to fight YSRCP and Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena. But then TDP sees an advantage in this crisis. They feel that they have been able to successfully convince the people that BJP was resorting to politics of vendetta and was firing all its guns over the shoulders of these two parties.

As far Congress is concerned one need not see it as a threat as during the last four years it had done nothing to win back the confidence of the people. Anyway, the real game has just begun and the voters are certainly in for some interesting twists and turns as we move closer to elections.