HYDERABAD: BJP chief Amit Shah’s three-day tour of Telangana, in a way, cleared some dust on whether the TRS and the BJP will join hands before the 2019 elections. Though it is nearly two years away for the elections and too early to predict alliances, political circles are now viewing Shah’s tirade and TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s sharp counter as an interesting turn around in the state politics.
Insiders in the BJP say that they never viewed TRS as their pre-poll ally as they view TS as a hunting ground and gateway to South India. “We see a huge political space in Telangana. The Congress lacks in leadership (at national and local levels) while the TDP is no more a force to reckon with. Our national leadership wants to grab the opportunity and give a big push to the party in TS,” said party spokesman Krishnasagar Rao.
But what made the BJP leadership feel that it can rise to the level of becoming an alternative in the state politics. “In the 2014 elections, our vote share (combined with TDP) stood at 22.4 per cent. We will be fighting it alone in 2019 elections and we are hopeful that we can get the 36 percent vote share which is decisive,” he said. With the target set, BJP is now planning a major offensive in coming months. “Not just Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will tour TS,” Rao said.
Though the party leaders claimed that Yogi would be visiting as one of the ‘tall leaders’ of the party, sources said that roping in Yogi would be a clear attempt to consolidate the Hindu votes and reap rich dividends in northern Telangana and in some other constituencies in other districts.
Meanwhile, the reaction of KCR to Amit Shah’s tour is seen as an attempt by the TRS chief to make it clear that he won’t be a mute spectator to the advances of BJP even if he wants to continue good relations with the Centre. This became evident when Rao praised Modi’s governance at the same time while firing a broadside at Amit Shah.
A TRS leader, on condition of anonymity, said it was true that TRS had initially looked at BJP as an ally. “But, with the BJP trying to be an alternative to the TRS, our leadership is now treating the saffron party on a par with other opposition parties,” he said.
Contest LS polls from Hyd, Asad dares Amit Shah
Hyderabad: Amidst the talk that BJP is eyeing the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi dared BJP national chief Amit Shah to contest next parliamentary elections from Hyderabad Parliamentary constituency.
Owaisi asked as to why the party is wasting time and energy in selecting a candidate to be pitted against him. He made the remarks while addressing a public meeting in Bahadurpura of Old City, late Wednesday night. Owaisi added that his party would even snatch the Secunderabad parliamentary seat from the BJP.
In BJP’s favour
Exposing TRS government’s misrule and family politics
The changed scenario in which members of all RSS-affiliated organisations, numbering 116, now vote for BJP unlike in the past Poaching of other party leaders wherever the party is weak
Modi’s charisma and perceived good governance (which was praised by KCR himself)
In TRS’ favour Lack of grass roots workers for BJP
Charismatic leader in the form of KCR
Exposing BJP’s failure to implement assurances under AP Reorganisation Act
Shah-KCR verbal duel continues
The ‘tu tu, main main’ that was set off by KCR on Wednesday continued on Thursday. Accepting Rao’s challenge that he would resign as CM if BJP proved that the Centre gave H1 lakh crore to the state, the BJP said it is ready to prove the same in the presence of a mediator, preferably a retired judge.