By SNV Sudhir
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh could be Hindutva’s new testing ground in the south, as the Sangh Parivar seems to have fixed its gaze on the state that has till now resisted the temptations of the extreme Right.
The VHP’s massive ‘Haindhava Sankharavam’ convention held in Vijayawada on Sunday drew more than three lakh people. The convention’s stated purpose was to free Hindu temples from government control but political observers felt it could be seen as a launchpad for the Sangh’s activities to take off.
It is the latest hint of the shifting political terrain in the state following the Tirupati laddu controversy, which saw Jana Sena chief and BJP ally Pawan Kalyan flirting with Hindutva and trying to emerge as its new southern mascot.
This churn could have repercussions for the ruling TDP, which is preparing to transition from an ageing N Chandrababu Naidu to his son Nara Lokesh, and the Opposition YSRCP, which is trying to find its feet after an epic drubbing in the Assembly polls.
The BJP’s game-plan seems to be to use the charismatic Pawan Kalyan, who is getting good at theatrics, to consolidate Hindu votes by wooing voters from the YSRCP and the TDP.
Political observers DH spoke believe there is a definite political agenda behind the VHP’s convention.
The political landscape of the state has been witnessing a shift towards the Right in recent years, especially after the YSRCP came to power in 2019. Several high-profile incidents, involving alleged targeted attacks on Hindu places of worship under the YSRCP regime, have highlighted this shift, starting with the mysterious burning of a decades-old chariot in East Godavari district in Sept 2020.
This story was originally published in deccanherald.com. Read the full story here.
