Analysis of data since 1984 LS elections in united Andhra Pradesh and post bifurcation of the state in 2014 — residuary AP (25 seats) and Telangana (17 seats) — reveals that BJP had equal poll strength in Telangana and Andhra regions before the division of the state.But, after the bifurcation, its electoral strength is limited to Telangana.
While BJP secured four seats in Telangana in 2019, it drew a blank in Andhra Pradesh in the first poll held after the division. Interestingly, BJP contested the LS polls in 2019 on its own without any alliances either in Telangana or Andhra. The villainisation of Nizam and Bhagyalakshmi temple issue helped BJP in Telangana in 2019. This time though, it is in alliance with Telugu Desam and Jana Sena in Andhra and going alone in Telangana.
Analysis shows that the Narendra Modi wave helped BJP to some extent in Telangana in 2019, as it won four seats. Earlier, the party also benefited from the wave in 2014 polls (held soon after the bifurcation) in both Andhra and Telangana regions. It won three seats — two in Andhra and one in Telangana.
The only time BJP made it big in LS hustings in the Telugu belt was in 1999 when it won seven seats — three from Andhra and four from Telangana regions. The party benefited from the Kargil wave, coupled with the charisma of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and an alliance with Telugu Desam. Political uncertainty as polls were held within a year of 1998 polls also helped the party.
Historically, BJP opened its account in the region in 1984, the very first general elections it faced, with Hanamakonda in Telangana. Though it drew a blank in 1989, Bandaru Dattatreya manged to win the party one seat — Secunderabad — in 1991. It drew a blank in 1996, but bounced back with four seats in 1998, the second highest number of seats it won in the region. Again in 2009, it drew a blank but won four seats in 2019.