Senior BJP member and Andhra state Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Somu Veerraju was appointed as the new president of BJP state unit on Monday. According to a communication from BJP national committee office bearer Arun Singh, the appointment comes into force immediately. He said, "BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda ji has appointed Somu Veerraju, MLC, as the state president of BJP, Andhra Pradesh. The appointment comes into effect immediately."
With this development, Veerraju will succeed former state minister Kanna Lakshminarayana who held the post for the last two years taking charge from a year before the 2019 general elections.
Verraju, hails from East Godavari district and has worked in the party at different ranks such as youth wing president, state general secretary and vice president.
The elevation of Veerraju to the president’s position had come into the reckoning even before Kanna was considered last time. Observers say that the BJP is keeping the caste equations in consideration and trying to ride on the 'historical rivalry' between Kammas and Kapus. This rivalry took a peak turn in the latter part of the 1980s with the intention to “establish caste supremacy in the political domain.”
The party affairs in Andhra are being overseen by Sunil Deodhar, national secretary of BJP. Incidentally, the change in party president comes a week after its outgoing President Kanna Lakshminarayana's letter to Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan urging the latter to not give assent to the two capital bills. It was reported that Kanna's letter had miffed the BJP national leadership as the letter was 'echoing' the TDP’s demand and stand on the YSRCP government's new capital bills.
However, the new appointment may not solely be a result of recent developments but can be seen as a plan for better fortunes in the long run. Currently, the party is having an alliance with actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan in fighting the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led government on different issues.
Meanwhile, several BJP leaders and counterparts from other states have congratulated Veerraju on his appointment.