Visakhapatnam: The city unit of the BJP was disappointed after the denial of a ministerial berth to Vizag MP K. Haribabu in the Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday.
The BJP might not be able to bargain with the ruling TD for the GVMC polls, if held in December, after the NDA dashed the hopes of K. Haribabu, who expected to get a minister berth after M. Venkaiah Naidu was made Vice-President.
The TD government has been chalking out plans to hold the much delayed GVMC elections in December, after registering a thumping victory in the Kakinada civic polls and Nandyal bypolls. It will not be cowed down by the BJP, which has been demanding a major share in electoral posts since the alliance formed the government in 2014.
It is learnt that some BJP leaders in Vizag city have been demanding the Mayor post in the GVMC elections, besides more tickets for BJP candidates citing that people voted for the alliance keeping in mind PM Narendra Modi and even in civic elections, his influence would be more than that of any other leader. However, the Cabinet reshuffle has a jolt to state unit of BJP as Mr Haribabu didn’t get any minister post.
A senior TD leader said that the TD has emerged much stronger in AP and will sweep GVMC elections also and there is no need to give more seats to the BJP in the GVMC elections.
BJP floor leader in the Assembly and Vizag North MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju said the Cabinet reshuffle may not impact civic polls and it is too early to say about seat sharing.
