Why was Somu Virraju selected as the AP BJP president? What is the BJP's rationale in selecting him to lead the party? Somu Virraju is neither a great organizer nor a powerful crowdpuller. He has never won an election on his own strength. The MLC seat he is enjoying is thanks to the TDP support when the TDP and the BJP were NDA partners. Hence, the question is why he was chosen?
Caste considerations seem to have weighed heavily on the leadership's mind. Kanna is a Kapu and of late the BJP is trying to woo the Kapu community, which is numerically strong. As part of this strategy, if Kanna is removed and some other leader from non-Kapu caste is made the party president, the Kapu support might dwindle for the BJP. Hence, the party has chosen Somu Virraju, who is also a Kapu.
Now, the BJP has Kapus as state presidents in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. While Somu Virraju is a Kapu, Bandi Sanjay, the Telangana BJP president is a Munnuru Kapu.
Caste considerations seem to have weighed heavily on the leadership's mind. Kanna is a Kapu and of late the BJP is trying to woo the Kapu community, which is numerically strong. As part of this strategy, if Kanna is removed and some other leader from non-Kapu caste is made the party president, the Kapu support might dwindle for the BJP. Hence, the party has chosen Somu Virraju, who is also a Kapu.
Now, the BJP has Kapus as state presidents in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. While Somu Virraju is a Kapu, Bandi Sanjay, the Telangana BJP president is a Munnuru Kapu.