The state unit leaders feel they were not given a fair hearing by Naidu and make no secret of their resentment at his proximity to the national BJP leadership. This isn’t the first time the BJP state unit—which believes the party has suffered heavily for aligning with the TDP—is accusing Naidu of bypassing local leaders. The BJP was one of the earliest advocates for a separate Telangana state—currently a lucrative electoral issue—but had to put its resolution on the backburner after the national BJP leaders struck a deal with Naidu before the 1999 elections.
In fact, a party worker even attempted self-immolation to protest against Naidu’s decision to deny the BJP the Malakpet assembly seat in Hyderabad, considered its traditional stronghold.
As compared to the ’99 elections, the BJP has been given marginally more seats this time—nine Lok Sabha and 27 assembly as opposed to eight and 24 last time. However, party leaders say the increase falls well below what they had actually been hoping for.
By Savitri Choudhury
