Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

‘BJP makes steady gains’

VISAKHAPATNAM: With the general elections approaching, the wind is in BJP’s favour as several Assembly elections since 2004 have shown, BJP senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu has said. Of the elections in 12 States, the Congress won in only two States while the BJP and its allies won in six States and that indicated the mood of the electorate, he told a press conference here on Friday. Even in Delhi and Mumbai civic elections, BJP and its allies emerged victorious.

The BJP would go it alone in Karnataka where elections were due and would get the first BJP Government in the South elected, he said. In Andhra Pradesh also, the party would not align with any other party. He said the BJP was committed to Telangana but only a party firmly in favour of it coming to power at the Centre would make it possible. The TRS resignations and by-elections would not settle the issue, he said.

He, however, ruled out any truck with the TRS stating it was not possible with a party talking about bringing back the Nizam rule. On film actor Chirnanjivi launching a party, he said, “Let it take shape.” The NDA had the advantage of being led by a towering personality like L.K. Advani, its prime ministerial candidate, and in contrast the Congress lacked leaders with popularity to get its votes. Both AICC president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi failed to get votes for the Congress in Gujarat, he pointed out.

He charged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with giving a lacklustre performance with no control over the Government.

Mr. Venkaiah Naidu was of the view that the agricultural loan waiver announced by the Union Government would boomerang on the Congress. It sparked a rural divide and failed to address the issue of dry land farmers.

Party State president Bandaru Dattatreya, national executive member K. Haribabu, State secretary Bandaru Rangamohana Rao and senior leader D.V. Subba Rao were present.

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