HYDERABAD: Though its long-pending demand for celebration of the September 17, the day on which the then Hyderabad State was merged with Indian Union, officially, has become a pie in the sky for now, the BJP has created a sort of record by submitting memoranda on the matter to the Governors of Telangana, before that of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, for 18 years in a row. Thursday marked the 18th year of this endeavour for the BJP as state leaders presented a memorandum with that demand to Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan.
The then leadership of the BJP in erstwhile AP, after passing a resolution during its State-level meeting at Kakinada in 1997, known as “Kakinada Resolution,” extending support to formation of Telangana started holding annual Tiranga yatras for a month pressing this demand from 1999. The BJP considered the issue a means to improve the party’s electoral prospects in Telangana. After formation of the new State, the saffron party has considered the issue its trump card to woo Hindu voters.