HYDERABAD: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday exuded confidence that the BJP would not only capture Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the position of Mayor but also win the 2023 Assembly elections.
Speaking to the media here, he said: “This time, the BJP is not contesting election to just increase its vote share or to strengthen the party’s base but for logging in an outright victory in both GHMC and the next Assembly elections.” He said that Hyderabad could become a global IT hub if right infrastructure is developed and the Central schemes for urban development are implemented properly by the GHMC.
While blaming the TRS and AIMIM for the poor functioning of GHMC, he promised that when the BJP comes to power in the corporation, it will ensure that Hyderabad would attain the status of a global IT hub.
Referring to the recent floods in Hyderabad, Shah blamed the AIMIM for encouraging encroachment of stormwater drains and water bodies in the city and accused the TRS government of not taking up desiltation of stormwater drains for six months, resulting in flooding.
Shah promised that all encroachments will be removed once a BJP candidate becomes Hyderabad’s Mayor. Pointing out that the area in front of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s residence also was flooded during the recent rains, he wanted to know why Rao or AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi were not seen among people during the floods.
On the accusation that the Central government did not provide financial assistance to the flood-hit Hyderabad, Shah took a potshot at the Chief Minister, saying, “as he does not go to the Secretariat, it is natural that he does not know that the Centre had released around Rs 500 crore under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Telangana to deal with Hyderabad floods.”
Targeting both the TRS and AIMIM, he said that the BJP wants to rid Telangana of its dynastic politics.
When a media person questioned Shah’s visit to the Bhagyalakshmi temple near Charminar just ahead of GHMC polls, he said that the temple visit was personal and only out of devotion.
Shah questioned the TRS on its various promises made in citizen’s charter, including 32,000 drinking water connections for the poor in Hyderabad, one lakh 2BHK houses and 15 dumpyards. The Union Home Minister said that once BJP comes to power in Greater Hyderabad, it will free Hyderbad of its Nizam’s culture.
Shah said that it was because of former Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabbhai Patel that Telangana, including Hyderabad, became a part of India. Indirectly referring to the history over AIMIM, Shah said that some people were in support of the merger of Hyderabad with Pakistan. Accusing AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi of creating hurdles for the Central government in taking action against foreigners living illegally in the Old City, he said: “When I take action he cries hoarse and makes a hue and cry in the Parliament. Let him give me in writing that Bangladeshis and Rohingya have to be removed, I will take action.”
Firing a salvo at the TRS and AIMIM by alleging a pact between them, he asked: “Why does the TRS have a secret pact with the AIMIM regarding seat sharing and do ‘ilu-ilu’ (I love you) inside a room about it. Why not come out in the open about their alliance and decide on seat sharing?”
When asked why the Chief Minister is cautioning the people of Hyderabad against ‘divisive forces’, Shah said that they would suit AIMIM more. He refuted allegations that the BJP is stoking communal tensions, pointing out he never said anything about Hindus or Muslims and that schemes by the BJP-led Central government would benefit everyone regardless of religion. Shah reached Hyderabad on Sunday morning to take part in BJP’s campaign for the high-decibel GHMC elections. He was received at the Begumpet airport by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, BJP in-charge for GHMC elections and Rajya Sabha MP Bhupender Yadav and senior leaders from party’s the State unit.
From there he left for the Bhagyalakshmi temple near Charminar and performed a puja amid high security. At the temple, he was also joined by BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh. Shah then proceeded to Warasiguda to participate in a roadshow and later headed to the party’s State office in Nampally, where he interacted with the media.