Amaravati, July 1 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party’s newly-elected president in Andhra Pradesh, P. V. N. Madhav, has vowed to make the saffron party an ‘invincible force’ in the state.

The former MLC took charge as the new president of the BJP’s state unit, succeeding MP Daggubati Purandeswari.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhav said he would work to strengthen the BJP in the state in such a way that the party workers will feel proud.

The BJP leader also stated that he considers the post of the party president as a responsibility and not a position of power.

MP P.C. Mohan, who served as the official observer, announced the unanimous election of Madhav as the BJP’s state president and presented him with the certificate.

Madhav was the only leader to file a nomination for the post after the party’s top brass threw its weight behind him.

The former MLC has strong organisational experience and is considered close to the RSS.

His appointment came at a time when the BJP is seeking to expand its grassroots presence and capitalise on its alliance with the TDP-JSP combine.

A second-generation leader of the BJP, Madhav, comes from the backward class community. His father, PV Chalapathi Rao, was a Jan Sangh veteran.

Chalapathi Rao had worked hard to strengthen the BJP in Andhra Pradesh. He was president of the BJP in united Andhra Pradesh from 1980 to 1986.

Purandeswari, who was appointed state BJP chief in 2023, handed over charge to Madhav and congratulated him.

The Rajamahendravaram MP said that she knows posts are not permanent. Purandeswari said she did her best to strengthen the party and never acted for self-interest.

The former Union minister said even if she did not like some of the decisions, she agreed with the party leadership.

BJP is a partner in the TDP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state. Jana Sena Party of actor-politician Pawan Kalyan is also a partner in the ruling coalition.

BJP, which contested the 2024 polls in alliance with the TDP and Jana Sena Party, has eight Assembly and three Lok Sabha seats in the state.

–IANS

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