THE BJP’S STRATEGY for the Telangana elections has been difficult to decode. When it removed the firebrand leader Bandi Sanjay as the state president, it was interpreted as an olive branch to the BRS. But it then fielded strongman Eatala Rajender against Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, which was by no means a goodwill gesture. In fact, the party is fighting a war on two fronts―it wants to ensure that the Congress is kept out of power, but does not want an overwhelming BRS victory.
In the war room at the BJP headquarters, national secretary Arvind Menon, who is the Telangana co-in-charge, is chalking out plans to increase the party’s tally in the state. He throws light on the expectations and challenges in an exclusive interview:
Q/ What are the BJP’s prospects in constituencies like Gajwel, Sircilla, and Kamareddy, where KCR and his son, K.T. Rama Rao, are in the fray?
A/ We are winning in all the seats you mentioned. Add more seats to it, like the one contested by BJP ex-president Bandi Sanjay. In Kamareddy, our candidate is a local who enjoys the goodwill and he is accessible to voters, whereas KCR and Revanth Reddy are outsiders. In Gajwel, our senior leader Eatala Rajender will defeat KCR, and in Sircilla, our spokesperson Rani Rudrama will perform well.
Q/ What changes have you seen on the ground after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended meetings aimed at the support of backward classes and scheduled castes?
A/ We can see a significant shift of BC and SC voters in Telangana to the BJP. After the prime minister spoke about them and gave them assurances, both communities have embraced the BJP, and this will reflect in the upcoming elections. Other political parties have cheated them, and people have realised that.
Q/ Who is your biggest enemy―the Congress or the BRS?
A/ The Congress and the BRS are connected by commonalities―corruption and dynastic politics. They both have caused significant damage to Telangana by not delivering what they promised to youth, women and other sections. They function similarly. If you vote for the Congress, the BRS will resort to under-the-table dealings with the Congress and will rule indirectly. A vote for the Congress will be a vote for KCR, and vice versa.
Q/ The Congress alleges that the BJP and the AIMIM are working together.
A/ Under no circumstances will we join hands with them. We would rather die than work with them. How can we favour a party that carries the legacy of the betrayers of the nation?
Q/ How important is Telangana for the BJP?
A/ Telangana is of utmost importance to the BJP. You can look back and see that it is the BJP that has been celebrating ‘liberation day’, which marks the liberation of Hyderabad from the Nizam, leading to the merger with India. None of these parties gave importance to that day until we did. It is a matter of self-respect for every person in the Telangana region, but these parties took it for granted. There is only one party that is fighting honestly against KCR, and that is the BJP. Underline these words: KCR is losing badly this time.