HYDERABAD: To continue the momentum it has gained with the recent byelection in Dubbaka, the BJP is going to use the services of the newly-elected MLA M Raghunandan Rao as its ‘star campaigner’ in the ensuing elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
The bypoll result stirred the hope in the saffron party of capturing Baldia (municipal administration) from the vice-like grip of the TRS. As Raghunandan Rao is known for his rhetoric as well as his analyses in debates on Telugu TV channels, the BJP is confident that the Dubbaka legislator will influence the urban voters with his eloquence.
The Dubbaka win indicated that Raghunandan Rao was successful in creating an awareness on the Central government schemes among the people and countering TRS troubleshooter and Finance Minister T Harish Rao, who shouldered the responsibility of campaigning for the ruling party.
The saffron party is likely to deploy Raghunandan Rao against TRS working president KT Rama Rao, who is likely to spearhead the poll campaign for the ruling party. While speaking to the media recently, Raghunandan Rao vowed not to rest until a saffron flag flies atop the GHMC areas.
On the other hand, the three MPs — G Kishan Reddy from Secunderabad, Bandi Sanjay Kumar from Karimnagar and Dharmapuri Arvind from Nizamabad — who time and again stood up to the ruling TRS party and the Opposition Congress, will campaign for the BJP candidates in the city.
The saffron brigade, which is targeting the Mayor’s post, has already launched an attack against the the pink party for its alliance with the AIMIM as part of its election strategy. In every meeting, the saffron party leaders are trying to drive home the point that “MIM and TRS” alliance had done nothing for Hyderabad.