The BJP has been coyly supporting YSRCP rebel MP from Narasapuram, Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, so far, by delaying his Lok Sabha disqualification request by two years, more than anything else. However, things seem to be changing in the last few days, with the BJP working towards keeping the support of the YSRCP, by acting out against RRR.
RRR too pointed this out, saying that the Lok Sabha speaker acted out with alacrity on the issues raised by Telangana BJP MPs like D Aravind and Bandi Sanjay, but did nothing when he was arrested and tortured. The main reason for this is being stated as the upcoming Presidential elections and Rajya Sabha elections. The BJP is said to be trying to win the support of the YSRCP, whose votes it would need for these elections.
One of the Rajya Sabha seats may have to be given to a nominee from the Adani group, and since the BJP has only 49.9 per cent votes in its kitty for the presidential elections, it needs parties like YSRCP and Biju Janata Dal to get its nominee elected.
It is these calculations that have forced the BJP to abandon RRR and latch on to the YSRCP. In its current calculations, the YSRCP, which has over 151 MLAs, 22 Lok Sabha MPs and eight Rajya Sabha MPs in its kitty, is the first priority to the BJP.
