Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu is always makes elaborate strategies to make ensure he would be highlighted in the news always some or other ways. Several times his over enthusiasm to gain space in the news makes his party locked in embarrassing positions.
When he was Parliamentary Affairs minister instead of lobbying with opposition leaders, he used to issue harsh criticisms against them so as to `please’ the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On many occasions, it was said his statements made Congress to be firm at a time they were planning to be soft towards the government.
His recent trips to Chennai and his presence throughout the Tamil Nadu political crisis – caused by Jayalalithaa’s sudden demise – has said to be makes BJP red-faced. AIADMK is not an allay of BJP. Only after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited her hospital, BJP leaders realised and started rushing towards Chennai.
For courtesy, he and other leaders may visit her once. But giving regular statements and also writing edit-page articles about Jayalalithaa, giving TV interviews narrating his closeness with her has led to giving an impression that the BJP is playing a big role in the internal feuds of the AIADMK.
But the BJP top brass is unconvinced that the party gains just because Amma is no more. Besides, it is wary of getting trapped in the war between pro-Sasikala and anti-Sasikala camps. Thus Venkaiah’s over-action said to be not taken well by the BJP leadership.
Tamil Nadu has always been a tricky ground for national parties. As an insider put it, there is little that the BJP can do till the picture gets clearer. The BJP does not have an acceptable pan-TN face that can bridge the caste fault-lines.
Moreover, for BJP game plan Karnataka is more important, where polls are due in 2018 and the party is hopeful to return back to power. There were emotional issues between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. For Congress also Tamil Nadu is not on priority. So decided to play low in Tamil Nadu.
