HYDERABAD: Saffron surge in the State is all set to be a reality with BJP raring to script a West Bengal like performance. The more than expected seat share for the BJP State unit - four seats - has made the party leaders believe that the party could emerge as an alternative to the TRS.
In an interview with TNIE, BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao on Friday stated that it is ‘important’ for the party to make Telangana a gateway to South India.
“Telangana is a potential State for BJP’s growth historically,” observed Rao. “We have a history that is conducive to promote Hindutva ideology. Listing out instances in the State history of agitation against Razakars and anti-Nizam struggle, Rao said: “The identity concerns of Telangana are well in tune with BJP’s core ideology.” “Just like how the BJP saw vote transfer from the Communists to the BJP against Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, a similar approach will be in place for Telangana. Across the nation vote share from the Congress is also getting transferred to the BJP,” said a confident Rao.
Terming that there is no ideological difference between the Congress and TRS, he said that the two rival parties have resorted to "appeasement politics." “There is space in this context that is vacant and BJP is wanting to occupy it,” he said.
The senior BJP leader argued that the party has a strong organisational base and was in line with the agitations waged by people of the State but it could not translate it into votes.
“Somehow, after the formation of Telangana, we could not get any purchase. We were disappointed and always had a sense of frustration among the cadre,” Rao said adding that Prime Minister Modi and party national president Amit Shah visited the State several times sensing that Telangana is a potential State.
But what has caused the party to win just one seat in the Assembly elections and four in parliamentary elections, Rao reacted sharply claiming that ‘Modi wave’ along with the party’s strong ‘organisational base’ were responsible for the party’s turnaround. He dismissed allegations that there was collusion between Congress and BJP, especially in Nizamabad to dethrone incumbent K Kavitha.
When asked why the party could not make any gains in other constituencies, Rao held that the party was banking its hope on six constituencies of which it could pocket four. Hyderabad and Mahbubnagar are the other constituencies where the BJP came second.
Buoyed by the victory in Telangana, the party is set to assign plum posts to those who have won. “Telangana will get representation in the Union cabinet,” said the national BJP leader.
He signed off saying that BJP, henceforth, will be an “aggressive opposition.”