Andhra BJP divided over choice of new state party chief

Fissures have surfaced in Andhra Pradesh unit of BJP after the party’s central leadership appointed Kanna Laxminarayana as state president. Kanna joined BJP in 2014 after spending over four decades in the Congress.

Several senior BJP leaders in AP, including presidents of districts, have resigned in protest against the party ignoring Somu Veerraju. Both Laxminarayana and Veerraju, who was appointed the convenor of state election management committee, belong to the numerically strong Kapu community, on whom BJP appears to be betting big this time around to take on Kamma community backed TDP.

Dozens of senior leaders reportedly belonging to the group of Veerraju have submitted their resignations, demanding for his appointment as the party president, while Veerraju couldn’t be reached for his comments.


Messages left on his mobile didn’t elicit any response. While a senior BJP leader who didn’t want to be named termed the decision of party central leadership as a “disastrous one that would adversely affect the already weakening fortunes of the party in Andhra,” BJP’s official spokesperson Sudheesh Rambhotla begged to differ.

“If the central leadership wanted to cash in on Kapus, it should have either lured actortur ned-politician Pawan Kalyan or appointed Laxminarayana in 2014 itself...,” said a senior BJP leader.