VIJAYAWADA: The Sangh Parivar has reportedly directed BJP leaders and cadres not to react to AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s remarks on the Centre rejecting special category status to the state. The RSS directions in this regard have been received by BJP cadres here.

“Nagpur wants the BJP to maintain strategic silence on AP affairs,” an RSS strategist from Nagpur told this correspondent. The Sangh headquarters has a different game plan to be played by the BJP in Andhra Pradesh, he said.

He said the Sangh leaders had anticipated the situation, as the chemistry between major and minor stakeholders at the Centre would always have a point of confrontation. “Accordingly, the war of words has started from the TD end now,” the strategist said.

He said that minor leaders of the TD bringing the post-Godhra violence into the forefront did not astonish them, as the RSS had clarity over the attitude of the TD

The example of RSS and BJP restraint for three decades in AP was cited: He said no BJP worker or leader would react to the statements made by the Chief Minister or TD leaders. A senior BJP leader and national executive committee member, he said they were told not to comment.

BJP national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said that one cannot arrive at a conclusion immediately that there was no dialogue within the BJP on the special status issue.

When asked how the BJP would face the people of AP now, he said that the strature of the party was not less in AP. He said the party would increase its presence.

“In the AP point of view, the BJP can’t be seen as a villain,” Mr Muralidhar Rao said. He said neither the BJP nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi would react in a hasty manner to the developments.