Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh unit of the BJP has taken a U-turn from its earlier stance on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. Even as ruling Telugu Desam ministers and leaders criticise the Governor's style of functioning, the BJP leaders who criticised him in the past have now come out in his defence.
BJP MLA Somu Veerraju said, “When it came to swearing in four defected ministers, the Governor was God in the eyes of (Chief Minister) N. Chandrababu Naidu. When speaking to the Centre on bifurcation issues, the Governor was still good for the CM. But now all of a sudden, the same Naidu is criticising the Governor.” Veerraju added that the CM Naidu is “making a mockery of the Governor”, forgetting that he holds a Constitutional position.
Earlier, when the BJP was part of Naidu's cabinet, party leaders were vocal critics of the Governor. When Narasimhan sent back the Conversion of Land for Non-Agricultural Purpose Act Amendment (NALA) Bill 2017, BJP floor leader P. Vishnu Kumar Raju had alleged that the Governor was being unjust to AP and favouring Telangana, thereby denigrating his office. He had also said AP needed an "exclusive Governor".
Later, AP BJP chief and MP K. Haribabu wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, expressing resentment against Narasimhan and asking for a new Governor to be appointed to the state.
