The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a concerted push to strengthen its presence in Andhra Pradesh through the Atal-Modi Suparipalana Yatra.
The yatra is aimed at highlighting the “good governance” of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The yatra, covering the entire state in two phases between December 11 and 25, began at Dharmavaram in Sri Sathya Sai district and will culminate in Amaravati with a public meeting featuring top leaders from the BJP, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Jana Sena Party (JSP).
Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, Bandi Sanjay along with AP BJP President PVN Madhav, and other leaders of NDA unveiled the statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as part of ‘Atal Modi Suparipalana Yatra’ in Visakhapatnam on December 20.
Andhra Pradesh has traditionally not been a stronghold for the BJP, which has been trying to expand its footprint in South India.
While the party has grown significantly at the grassroots level in Telangana, its performance in Andhra Pradesh has been mixed.
In the 2014 elections, BJP, allied with the TDP and supported externally by the JSP, won two Lok Sabha seats and four Assembly seats. However, in 2019, contesting independently, the party failed to win any seats and saw its vote share drop below 1%.
The 2024 elections, however, brought a turnaround. Contesting 10 Assembly seats, BJP won eight, and secured three Lok Sabha seats out of six contested, with vote shares increasing to 11.28% in Lok Sabha and 2.83% in Assembly elections.
The improved performance was attributed to coalition efforts with TDP and JSP, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity.
The Atal-Modi Yatra will feature the unveiling of statues of Atal Bihari Vajpayee across various locations, with BJP leaders, Union Ministers, and TDP Cabinet Ministers participating in daily meetings to highlight development under the Vajpayee and Modi governments.
The involvement of the TDP aims to reinforce coalition ties, crucial for the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, which relies heavily on support from allies like the TDP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United).
While BJP is part of the State government — with Satya Kumar Yadav handling the Health and Family Welfare portfolio — the party is balancing its messaging carefully, ensuring it does not openly criticise state governance, while focusing on building its political base across Andhra Pradesh.