HYDERABAD: The reluctance of the Telangana unit of the BJP to raise public issues as aggressively as its rival, the BRS, of late has begun raising eyebrows since this would have been a perfect time for the saffron party to bolster its presence in the state.
Despite securing eight seats and a 35% vote share in the recent Lok Sabha elections, BJP leaders have been intriguingly inactive. In contrast, the BRS has been vocal in its opposition to the ruling Congress, particularly on issues such as the farmer loan waiver. The BRS has been accusing Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his government of betraying farmers by failing to implement the loan waiver in full. This is being seen as a strategic effort to capitalise on what is expected to be a key issue in the upcoming local body elections.
Political observers note that while the BRS is actively engaging with farmer-related issues, the BJP has yet to focus on this key subject. When nudged, a saffron party leader said that many of its MLAs and MPs were preoccupied with constituency matters and have not started raising government shortcomings.
The BJP recently launched a membership drive, but its leadership appears to be more focused on this internal effort than on addressing public issues. This has led to speculation about whether the party will be able to maintain its vote share in the upcoming local body elections.
Meanwhile, the ruling Congress and the BRS continue to trade allegations, fueling a heated political battle that has largely sidelined the BJP. Some BJP leaders have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of a proper response to this even as the party’s ground-level cadres are increasingly worried.
Amidst this unease in the state BJP, the delay in appointing a new state president has left many feeling directionless. With the party’s high command focused on elections in Haryana and J&K, the BJP’s strategy in the state remains unclear.