The party’s leadership has issued an internal directive mandating senior leaders and incumbent MPs to participate in the upcoming assembly elections. However, this decision has stirred trouble within the ranks. Many BJP leaders are apprehensive about contesting in the assembly polls at this juncture. Their concern lies in the potential repercussions of an unsuccessful bid for an MLA seat on their prospects in future MP elections. Consequently, some are considering skipping the assembly elections altogether and opting for direct MP candidacies.
This move has cast a spotlight on dissatisfied senior leaders within the state BJP, who have harbored grievances against the party’s leadership for an extended period. Rumors have begun circulating on social media that prominent party figure Vivek may defect to the BRS party as early as Monday. As the assembly elections draw nearer, senior leaders are increasingly vocal about their discontent, primarily due to the lack of clarity from the party’s leadership regarding its agenda. They are striving to build momentum within the opposition.
It’s widely known that senior BJP leaders frequently convene at the residence of former MP Vivek. Other former MPs, such as Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Komati Reddy Rajagopal Reddy, Vijayashanthi, Garikapati Mohan Rao, Chada Suresh Reddy, former Minister Vijayarama Rao, and Ravindra Naik, actively participate in these gatherings. Notably, the party’s shift from a previously aggressive stance towards BRS to a more conciliatory approach, coupled with its failure to apprehend Kavitha in the Delhi liquor scam, has fueled discontent among senior members.
One senior party leader has voiced concerns about the perception that the BJP and BRS are closely aligned, which has become public knowledge. He believes that the Congress party, his primary rival, is capitalizing on this development to its advantage. The political landscape is evolving, with senior BJP leaders grappling with crucial decisions and the party’s direction in the lead-up to the assembly elections.