BJP to decide on alliance in AP just before polls: Purandeswari

Vijayawada: BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari said their top leadership will decide on party’s alliance in Andhra Pradesh with other parties just two to three months before the elections. “The AP unit will stand by such a decision,” she maintained.

Speaking to the media at Eluru on Wednesday, she said BJP’s alliance in AP at present is with only Jana Sena. On arrest of Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, said that their party has been the first to condemn the procedure adopted during the arrest of Naidu, as no case had been booked at the time of his arrest.

The AP BJP president said BJP is committed to completing the Polavaram irrigation project. The Centre has been releasing funds in a timely manner for all the works undertaken.

She underlined that the newly launched PM Vishwakarma Yojana coinciding with the birth anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will benefit traditional artisans. The centre has already allocated ₹13,000 crore for the scheme.

Purandeswari arrived in Eluru on Wednesday as part of her party’s fortnight long Sewa Pakhwada programme. She pointed out that patients in AP are unable to avail healthcare in private hospitals, as the state government has not cleared pending bills of Aarogyasri scheme.  She said it is unfortunate that AP is not implementing Ayushman Bharat in the state. Otherwise, it would have helped people, especially poor, get from centre up to ₹5 lakh for their treatment.

The AP BJP chief thanked Narendra Modi for coming up with the women’s reservation bill, which will provide 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament and assemblies from 2027. “The bill will empower women,” she stated.

Referring to irregularities in AP’s liquor policy, she said she will write a letter to CBI seeking a probe into the matter and take the issue to the notice of centre.