HYDERABAD: The BJP has proved that it is truly emerging as an alternative to the ruling TRS in the State with its performance in the recent municipal polls, BJP State unit president K Laxman said on Tuesday.
Speaking to TNIE team during Express Chat, he said: “The BJP won 80 divisions out of 385 divisions in municipal corporations. The Congress won just 20 divisions. With this we have proved that the BJP has emerged as an alternative to the TRS.”
Laxman said that in municipalities too, the BJP won 280 out of 2,727 wards. "Our candidates won in all the erstwhile districts. We have expanded our base,” the BJP state president said. “For the first time the BJP contested on its own, without any poll alliance with other parties. Even the ruling TRS too had a tacit understanding with the AIMIM."
He said that in 2014 civic body polls, the BJP contested in 680 wards and won 68 wards with the support of the TDP. "This time, we have contested on our own and won 280 wards. This shows we are expanding our party base across the State," he said.
"Despite the TRS’ money, muscle and mafia power, the BJP was able to win a good number of wards and divisions. We have been fighting against the misrule of TRS for the last five years and the people started supporting us. I salute voters for supporting the BJP," Laxman said.
He also revealed that the BJP State unit had formed 22,000 polling booth committees. Each booth committee worked actively, which helped BJP to win a huge number of wards and divisions, he said.He alleged that the “TRS leaders were so power hungry” that they even lured the BJP candidates by offering money in some municipalities.
Year of struggle
Laxman said that 2020 would be the year of ‘struggles’ for the BJP against the misrule of TRS. "We will launch agitations against the corrupt, family and misrule of TRS in the next four years," he said.
Laxman said that the BJP will hold organisational elections for district units in a week or two and the new state unit president would be elected in February. Asked whether he would like to continue as president for the second term, Laxman said: “I am a soldier of BJP. I will follow what the BJP top leadership asks me to do.”
Pawan factor
Asked about Jana Sena Party president and cine hero Pawan Kalyan supporting BJP, Laxman said: “Pawan Kalyan is a celebrity and he has a great following in Telangana too. In fact, Pawan Kalyan has following in all southern states. The party may utilise his services in the southern states. It is heartening to see Pawan Kalyan coming forward to support the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Laxman added.