On Sunday, the Telangana BJP will welcome thousands of mid-level and low-rung political leaders from other parties into its fold.
This is perhaps the first time in many years that the saffron party in the state is organising such a large-scale programme, encouraging mass defections. The biggest loser in this whole exercise will be the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
BJP working president J.P. Nadda will be in Hyderabad to personally meet the new members and hand over membership cards to them. The programme will be held in Exhibition Grounds in Nampally.
According to sources in the BJP, mandal and district-level leaders, ex-sarpanches and former corporators will be joining the party along with their followers. It is estimated that the number could be anywhere between 2,000 to 5,000.
“We want to expand our party,” said BJP spokesperson Krishnasagar Rao. “When it comes to national politics, people support the BJP. They are clear on that. But coming to state politics, there is a vacuum. The Congress base is eroding and the TDP is weak in Telangana. To be no. 1 in the state, we have to be no.2 first. We have not asked these leaders to join us, they have made a decision to work for the BJP. The TDP has a very strong cadre base in the state. Most of them left for the TRS and the remaining want to join us.”
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The saffron party, which does not have a strong structure at the grassroots level, is hoping that their latest drive will help them to fill this gap. The party has 18 lakh members in the state and wanted to add 18 lakh more during the latest membership drive that was underway in the past 45 days. Till date, 11 lakh new members have joined the party and the BJP is hoping to reach the target in the next few days.
According to party leaders, this is their first step towards dislodging the Congress as an alternative to TRS.
“A few big names, including legislators, are in touch with us. They will join when Union minister Amit Shah is in the city. We can confidently say that we are emerging stronger,” said a BJP leader who did not wish to be named.
Nadda, who will address the gathering on Sunday, is likely to share his vision and lay the roadmap for state BJP.
After the 2019 general elections, relations between the BJP and the TRS seem to have strained with the former not missing any chance to attack the latter.
