Proud to speak for Hindus, says Bandi
KCR will be in jail soon, says state BJP chief
“I am a proud Hindu and my party will speak up and stand up for the majority community’s interests without any feeling of guilt. We win because all Hindus support us. We will form the next government in Telangana after removing the corrupt, nepotist, minority-appeasing TRS government headed by autocratic Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao,” asserted BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the Lok Sabha member from Karimnagar, on Friday, on the eve of the 35day first phase of his Praja Sangrama Yatra.
Unhesitatingly making his Hindutva war cry, Sanjay questioned how political leaders who visit mosques, dargahs or churches are secular, while he is being ‘hypocritically’ criticised for visiting temples? “The BJP won four Lok Sabha seats with the support of Hindus. This very Hindu support will help us win the next assembly polls in Telangana,” he asserted.
The yatra, he explained, is aimed at building stronger bonds with the people and understanding their plight under the undemocratic TRS reign. “The people of Telangana know that the BJP will soon send KCR to prison for his corruption and other misdeeds.”
The walkathon will commence on Saturday morning from the famous Bhagyalakshmi temple abutting the Charminar and proceed to the pollbound Huzurabad constituency, in the first phase.
Brimming with confidence, Sanjay told Deccan Chronicle that he was keeping the promise made when he took charge as state party president, that he would connect with the people through a padayatra inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. “It got delayed because of the Coronavirus,” he said.
Dismissing allegations of a tactical tie-up or compromise between the BJP and the TRS, keeping in mind future national political alignments, the BJP leader said, “As our party national president J.P. Nadda has reiterated, KCR is the most corrupt leader in India. We have collected evidence and investigations are on. Chandrashekar Rao and other members of his family involved in massive scams will be in jail soon.”
On being asked why the Centre does not act against the TRS leadership if there was proof of corruption, Sanjay replied, “We don’t need to have our own state government in Telangana to send him to jail. He will be in prison before the next Assembly elections.”
He dismissed the prospects of the Congress led by A. Revanth Reddy in the state, and asked why would the people wish to replace the corrupt, nepotistic rule of the TRS with a similar rule of the Congress.
On Huzurabad bypoll, Sanjay said, “The TRS chief and K.T. Rama Rao have conceded defeat there, saying it is just a bypoll and defeat there does not have many implications. Eatala was hailed as a successful minister but the day the father-son duo broke off with him, they tried to portray him as a villain.”
“The TRS government has lost all credibility, with KCR breaking all his promises relating to land, water, jobs, and empowerment of Dalits, tribals and BCs. No one in Telangana trusts this proDalit campaign of the CM anymore. He comes up before every election, makes hollow promises and disappears into his farmhouse,” the BJP chief said.
When asked about the impact of Dalit Bandhu, Sanjay said, “We don’t oppose the scheme. But when a CM launches it in just one constituency that is up for bypoll, what message does it send? He is doing this even as this bankrupt government is not able to even pay salaries to the employees in one go. So, who will believe him? In fact, most people in Telangana want TRS MLAs to resign and force byelections so that the government will fall.”
Arguing against the perception that the BJP is not strong enough in Telangana, he said, “People know the BJP alone fights the TRS. Unlike the Congress or the TD, we never had any alliance with the TRS. BJP activists are fighting for people’s causes, including for unemployment allowance and job notifications. We are going to jail, getting beaten up and still fighting. Our leaders don’t get sold to TRS, unlike the Congress. People know we are the only alternative.”
Explaining his party’s strong connect with the youth, he said, “TRS promised `3,000 to the unemployed as dole. Today, KCR owes over `1 lakh to each unemployed youth of Telangana. Only the BJP is fighting for the youth, for jobs.”
Condemning the KCR government for its “styles of appeasing, looting people and oppressing the weaker sections”, he said, “We have heard and read about the tyrant Nizam’s reign. Now we are experiencing the Nizam 2.0 tyranny in TRS. Chandrashekar Rao prostrates before Nizam’s grave while we fall at the feet of Sardar Patel, who liberated Hyderabad. People will decide who they want to lead them.”
On the water, a key promise of the Telangana agitation, Sanjay said, “Now, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is stealing our waters; and whatever is left, gets diverted to KCR’s farmhouse.”
“BJP always works at the grassroots. Every election sees a rise in our vote share. The padayatra will instil confidence among the people in their fight against the corrupt TRS. We will rededicate ourselves to the cause of TS and ensure that the sacrifices of 1,400 people for a separate state will not be in vain. We will end the loot of Telangana by KCR and his family members. The BJP government will ensure that all the aspirations of the people are met,” Sanjay added.