The BJP national leaders thought of making a beginning in Andhra Pradesh by securing significant gains in the Tirupati by-election. However, they are facing one hurdle after another ever since their campaign began. The most severe blow came from Pawan Kalyan who did not share dais with BJP National President JP Nadda at his Tirupati public meeting. More unfortunately for the BJP, the stone pelting incident took place in the Chandrababu road show the same day.

In fact, quite a good number of BJP leaders attended the Nadda public meeting for which they made elaborate arrangements. BJP leaders Sunil Deodhar, Somu Veerraju, Vishnuvardhan Reddy and scores of others took active part. They launched unsparing criticism. But all that got washed out after the whole media attention shifted to the stone pelting on Naidu meeting.

Even the ruling YCP leaders and the police have turned their attention to the TDP allegations. Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy totally ignored the BJP show and solely attacked Chandrababu saying the TDP chief was resorting to fake allegations.

Doubtless to say, the BJP’s all out efforts to push its campaign suffered severe setbacks. The voice of Nadda and other leaders got totally lost out in the stone politics that followed. The BJP attempts to divide the Hindu voters were not going forward along the expected lines with State and local issues dominating the scene.