Telangana issue: BJP seeking to regain its lost glory in AP

The BJP is seeking to regain its lost glory in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh by vigorously taking up the cause of a separate state as well as issues relating to people in the region. Telangana was once considered a stronghold of BJP with a sizeable number of its senior leaders like Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Bandaru Dattatreya making a mark even at the national level and working as union ministers in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

The national party''s influence, however, waned gradually after it aligned with the Telugu Desam Party in the late 1990s. Luck did not favour BJP even after it snapped ties with TDP and raised the Telangana slogan again after 2004.

In the 2004 and 2009 elections, the BJP had to be content with just two seats each in the state Assembly while drawing a blank in Lok Sabha. The state party president G Kishan Reddy is representing Amberpet Assembly constituency in the city here and Nizamabad seat was represented by Lakshminarayana.

While the party has not much base in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, its influence has eroded significantly in coastal Andhra after it started espousing the cause of Telangana. BJP leader from coastal Andhra M Venkaiah Naidu too has become an advocate for bifurcation of the state much to the chagrin of the party rank and file in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions.

V.V.S.Laxman

At his sublime best, VVS Laxman is a sight for the gods. Wristy, willowy and sinuous, he can match - sometimes even better - Tendulkar for strokeplay. His on-side game is comparable to his idol Azharuddin's, yet he is decidedly more assured on the off side and has the rare gift of being able to hit the same ball to either side. The Australians, who have suffered more than most, paid the highest compliment after India's 2003-04 tour Down Under by admitting they did not know where to bowl to him. Laxman, a one-time medical student, finally showed signs of coming to terms with his considerable gifts in March 2001, as he tormented Steve Waugh's thought-to-be-invincible Australians with a majestic 281 to stand the Kolkata Test on its head. But even though he had another wonderful series against the Australians in 2003-04 with two centuries, one of them involving a back-from-the-dead, match-winning, 300-plus partnership with Kolkata ally Rahul Dravid at Adelaide, he hasn't quite managed the consistency that could have turned him into a batting great. Between dazzling and sometimes workmanlike hundreds, he has suffered the frustration of numerous twenties and thirties and has lost his place in the one-day side. Nothing, though, has deterred him from tormenting his favourite opponents with silken strokes and piles of runs: in the course of the double-hundred at Feroz Shah Kotla in 2008, he became the second Indian batsman after Tendulkar to score more than 2000 runs against the Australians.


Full name Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman

Born November 1, 1974, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Current age 35 years 339 days

Major teams India, Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad (India), Lancashire

Nickname Very Very Special

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

Education Little Flower High School, St. John's School