Telangana BJP president and Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy asserted that his party will cross double digits in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state.
Speaking to a TNIE team as part of Hyderabad Dialogues, Kishan Reddy rubbished the Congress and BRS allegations that the BJP, which won four seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, did not do anything for the state.
“National highways, free rice distribution, ESI hospitals, development of railway infrastructure and revival of the fertiliser factory — are they not projects taken up by the Centre? We are establishing a railway wagon manufacturing factory at Kazipet that will provide employment to around 3,000 people. We sanctioned a textile park for the state. Farmers here are benefiting from fertiliser subsidy,” he pointed out.
Kishan, the sitting MP from Secunderabad who has been fielded by the party from the segment again, laughed off the Congress claim that the BRS has fielded weak candidates in five LS seats to facilitate the victory of the BJP.
Summing up the character of A Revanth Reddy and his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao, Kishan said that Revanth appears to have learnt a lesson from KCR’s follies and developed cordial ties with the Centre. “During BRS rule, I wrote more than 50 letters to him seeking allocation of land for projects that the Centre was ready to construct. But he did not respond to any of them. Telangana people threw him out of power and confined him to his farmhouse,” he said.
You just filed your nomination papers today. How is your campaigning going on in Secunderabad and other places in the state?
After filing the nomination, I directly came to your (The New Indian Express) office. I started campaigning in my constituency much before the candidates of other parties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has so far addressed public meetings in Sangareddy, Nagarkurnool, Jagtial, Malkajgiri and Adilabad. While the BJP is ahead in campaigning in Telangana, the Congress has not even announced its full list of candidates. The people of the country want Narendra Modi to become prime minister once again. In the recent Assembly elections, many may not have voted for the BJP, but they will definitely vote for Modi and our party in the Lok Sabha polls. The youth, cutting across party affiliation in rural areas, are in favour of Narendra Modi. We are concentrating on door-to-door campaigns as we believe that there would be no use holding massive public meetings to reach out to voters.
Who is your main rival in Secunderabad?
Only if they start campaigning can we say something. Moreover, both candidates belong to the BRS. While Padma Rao Goud is the BRS candidate, Congress candidate Danam Nagender is a BRS MLA. Only after they start campaigning will we get some clarity on many issues like whether they will contest or withdraw or whether new candidates will come in their place. No matter who my rival is, I will give it my all and treat even independent candidates as strong opponents.
How many seats are you expecting to win in Telangana?
We are hopeful of winning seats in double digits. It could be anywhere between 10 and 17.
The Congress and BRS are alleging that the Modi government did nothing for Telangana in the last 10 years.
The Modi government has done a lot for Telangana. It’s difficult to convince those making politically motivated allegations. The Centre has spent approximately Rs 10 lakh crore in Telangana. Recently, I gave a detailed power-point presentation in front of journalists, professors, intellectuals and other prominent persons, regarding the contribution of the Union government for the development of Telangana. When the BRS and Congress are spreading lies, I need not respond to them. If they can come to an open debate, I am ready to explain what the Centre did for Telangana. Is Telangana not part of this country? Why will we not extend assistance to Telangana? National highways, free rice distribution, ESI hospitals, development of railway infrastructure and revival of the fertiliser factory — are they not projects taken up by the Centre? We are establishing a railway wagon manufacturing factory at Kazipet which will provide employment to around 3,000 people. We sanctioned a textile park for the state. Farmers of the state are benefiting from fertiliser subsidy. Though the Centre is funding programmes such as Basti Dawakhanas and distribution of free rice for the poor, the Modi government is not getting credit.
CM Revanth Reddy is alleging that the BRS and BJP are colluding to topple the Congress government.
I want to clarify officially that we do not want the Congress government to fall and we are not trying to do any such thing. We have only eight MLAs. If the government falls on its own, we cannot help it. We will wait for four-and-a-half years more and will try to form a government in a democratic way. It took 10 years for the BRS to fall and it will take five years for the Congress government to collapse. After that, the Congress will disappear and we will win in the elections. We will play the role of opposition effectively and we will fight for the implementation of the promises the Congress gave ahead of the Assembly elections.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao says the CM will join the BJP. Former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao says the BJP is running the Congress government.
What can I say to such baseless allegations? The Telangana government is providing financial resources to the Congress to fight Lok Sabha elections by collecting Rahul Gandhi tax from businessmen, builders and companies. Revanth is sending the money thus collected to Delhi and that is the reason why the Congress high command is giving him too much importance. He went to Andhra Pradesh and Kerala for campaigning. Revanth is close to the Congress high command because he is the one who makes the highest money contribution to the party. In this scenario, BRS leaders speaking of Revanth joining the BJP or the BJP running the Congress government is baseless. In politics we can say anything, but we need evidence to substantiate our claim.
When the BRS was in power, a majority of Central schemes were not implemented in Telangana. After the Congress came to power, things have changed and relations between the state and the Centre are positive.
KCR behaved in an arrogant manner towards the Centre when he was in power. He even went to the extent of saying that he would throw Modi out of the country. Telangana people threw him out of power and confined him to his farmhouse. Because of his arrogance, both KCR and Telangana suffered a lot. Revanth seems to have learnt a lesson from KCR’s follies and he is maintaining good relations with the Centre. The financial situation of the state is very bad and Revanth wants the financial assistance that comes from the Centre as his government is not in a position to implement the promises it made to the people. Keeping these things in view, Revanth is implementing schemes such as PM Fasal Bima Yojana and Ayushman Bharat. During BRS rule, I wrote more than 50 letters to KCR seeking allocation of land for a few projects which the Centre was ready to construct. But he did not respond.
The BRS and Congress allege that the BJP is fielding leaders who defected from the pink party because it lacks strong candidates.
Congress leaders have no right to talk about this issue. Even after the BRS announced Kadiyam Kavya as its candidate for Warangal, the Congress admitted her and her father and MLA Kadiyam Srihari into the party. It even named Kavya as its candidate for Warangal. After doing this, does the Congress have any moral right to question us? Many leaders from various parties are joining the BJP, recognising that the country needs the leadership of Modi.
The CM alleges that the BRS is fielding weak candidates in five seats to ensure victory of the BJP. What do you have to say about it?
The CM also alleges that the BRS has an agreement with the BJP to secure the release of K Kavitha from jail. What can I say to it?
Your party leaders say that the BJP lost in Assembly elections because of the failure of ED and CBI to arrest Kavitha. Will BJP benefit politically now that she has been arrested?
Why would the BJP arrest Kavitha? That is wrong. The liquor scam case is related to Delhi, not Kavitha. The bureaucrats who were afraid of facing serious consequences gave full information on the liquor scam committed by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to the Centre and CBI. During the CBI investigation, Kavitha’s role in the scam came to light. Who asked her to do beer and brandy business in Delhi? She played a key role in the scam and that is why probe agencies arrested her. She destroyed several mobile phones and threatened people. The BJP has nothing to do with her arrest.
You demanded a high-level inquiry into the phone-tapping case. But you did not specify the agency which should probe it.
The phone-tapping case had its roots in the Intelligence headquarters. If police investigate their own men, we cannot expect justice. That is the reason I asked for a probe either by central agencies or an inquiry under the supervision of a high court judge.
Though the BJP alleged corruption in the construction of Kaleshwaram project, why did the Union government not order a CBI probe?
There is no provision for the Centre to conduct investigation into allegations of corruption in state projects unless the state government concerned seeks it. Kaleshwaram is a state project and without the state government’s consent, the CBI can’t investigate it. Before coming to power, the Congress had written a letter to me seeking a CBI probe. Now, after coming to power, the Congress is not talking about it. I will ensure that the Centre orders a CBI probe within 24 hours if the state chief secretary writes a letter.
What is your agenda in Lok Sabha polls in Telangana? Is it Hindutva agenda or development agenda?
If you keenly follow our speeches, you will get to know that ours is a development agenda.
When you are confident of the BJP winning about 400 Lok Sabha seats, why has your party entered into alliance with the regional parties in various states?
We said that the NDA will cross 400 and the BJP will win 370 seats on its own. What is wrong if we have an alliance with other parties? Ours is a national party. We work for the country. The nation’s development is not possible only with the BJP. There is a need to unite 140 crore people of the country. If the country has to develop, everyone should come forward irrespective of their party affiliation. We are working towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.
You and several other leaders are aspiring for a Cabinet berth in the Union government.
I am not in the race. As Central minister, I have done a lot in the last five years. I have got good opportunities. During my term as MoS to Home Affairs, Article 370 was repealed. I also worked as in-charge of a control room during the Covid time. During my tenure as Minister of Culture, Ram Mandir construction at Ayodhya happened. In five years I did work equal to 50 years. If any leader from Telangana gets a berth in the Union Cabinet, I would be happy.
Revanth Reddy and you were close friends once. Is the friendship still continuing?
Party and friendship are separate. We don’t talk to each other everyday. Our political differences do come in the way of our friendship. However, we greet each other if we meet at marriages or other functions. Our differences are to do with ideological issues.
There is talk that if the BJP comes to power for a third time, Hyderabad will be made the second capital of India. Is there any truth in it?
It is not on our agenda.
Hyderabad BJP candidate K Madhavi Latha is alleged to have made a gesture towards a masjid.
Why do you think that she placed the [imaginary] bow towards a masjid? In the Old City, there are a lot of masjids. If you rotate the camera, a masjid will come into the frame.
She did not have a BJP membership before being given a ticket. A few of your party leaders are also upset with this decision.
These are all small issues. She has been working with us for many years. Though she was not our party member, she worked in our frontal organisations.
TNIE team: Prasanna RS, VV Balakrishna, Ireddy Srinivas Reddy, S Bachan Jeet Singh, B Kartheek, Manda Ravinder Reddy and Navya Parvathy