Countdown to 2023: How BJP is preparing ground to pin down KCR and win poll in Telangana

Hyderabad: Telangana assembly election is just a year away.

Bharatiya Janta Party has decided to hold its national executive meet in the city on July 2 and 3. It will be the first time in four years that BJP will be holding a meeting outside Delhi. This comes at a time when BJP is tightening its grip on power and creating a larger vote bank in the southern state.

Countdown to 2023

BJP leader N Ramachander Rao said the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and party president JP Nadda, has infused new life into the cadres. They see a chance to win the election next year.

"Hyderabad was decided as venue keeping in view elections in Karnataka and Telangana. We have a major presence in Karnataka. We want to make the party visible to the people in Telangana, The second major reason is the response from the people after the visit of our leadership. It gave us a boost. We are hopeful to gain power in 2023," said N Ramachander Rao.

The presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda along with Chief Ministers of 19 states,40 Union Ministers, and other officer bearers will bring media focus on Telangana. Telugu media will cover the event. People in rural areas mostly watch Telugu TV channels. The event will present BJP as an alternative to TRS and Congress in the state.

Wining by-poll and 48 seats in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Election in 2020 have given BJP hope that they could form the government in Telangana in 2023.

"In 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state. He had announced they will do everything to win the election. The party is preparing for the long haul. They are not just focusing on the 2023 state election but also the 2024 general election," said CR Gowri Shankar, senior Journalist.

He said In the 2016 state election, BJP had fewer seats in West Bengal, but they made grounds over five years and gave a tough fight. "Similarly, the BJP leadership is looking to challenge the TRS in the state," said CR Gowri Shankar.

N Ramachander Rao said they have learned from their mistakes in West Bengal. "We are not going to leave any stone unturned to come to power in Telangana," he said.

The senior journalist pointed out that in West Bengal the opposition was fractured before TMC which gave the way for BJP to enter the state. Similarly in Telangana, the opposition Congress is fractured and it is giving the way for the BJP to enter the state.

While TRS has appointed political strategist Prashant Kishor for the 2023 election, the BJP is seeing it as challenge but not impossible to overcome. "For us, Prashant Kishor is one of the factors. In West Bengal, there are places where even Prashant Kishor could not help. He is a professional, but it doesn't mean that he will succeed. Even the best lawyer loses the case in court," said N Ramchader Rao.

BJP is attacking the TRS party for pursuing dynastic politics. On May 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for liberating Telangana from family-run party rule and said the "Pariwarwaadi" party is not just a political problem but an enemy of democracy.

Addressing BJP leaders and workers at the Begumpet Airport, Modi said dynastic politics and family-centric parties are the biggest enemies of democracy and the youth of the country.

"Freedom from family-run parties is our dream and commitment. Our efforts are gaining traction in Telangana. BJP's win in the previous elections shows that a change in the state is imminent. Time for BJP has come in Telangana," he said.

N Ramachander Rao said the people of Telangana have given a chance to TRS, TDP, and Congress. "Every party has dynastic roots. Now, we are urging the people to give us a chance so that we can show them that we can run a government for them, not just for the family," he said.

CR Gowri Shankar said BJP's attack on dynasty politics is two-pronged. "It is just not about TRS with KCR, KTR, Harish Rao, and Kavitha, it's an attack on Gandhi family also. In the north narrative of the dynasty, politics worked for BJP till now even in UP election, and similarly, they want to utilize on this in Telangana also," he said.

Road to 2023 election

BJP President JP Nadda did a public meeting on May 5 at Mahbubnagar as a part of the `Praja Sangrama Yatra' launched by BJP state unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

Addressing a public meeting held at Tukkuguda Home Minister Amit Shah said: "Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is making plans for early elections at his farmhouse. TRS can declare the election tomorrow and we (BJP) are ready for it. We will win the election whenever TRS announces,"

Shah said the BJP will soon overthrow the "Nizam" from the seat of power in Telangana. He described the TRS as a party that is being "steered by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)."

He said that people are aware that the state government was not implementing any schemes. He said the TRS government was branding the Centre's schemes as its own.

He slammed the KCR-led government in Telangana over alleged corruption and not fulfilling its promises. Shah said after forming a government, it will implement all the promises made to the public.

The saffron party has already decided to send OBC National Morcha president K Laxman to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. This is being seen as an attempt to woo the BCs in the state. For the first time, the Central government also celebrated Telangana Formation Day in New Delhi on Thursday.

What is in store for KCR?

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao forayed into national politics. He met his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal at the latter's residence. They discussed issues related to national politics, federalism, states' role in India's growth, the centre's policies, and other issues.

He also met former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Maharashtra Chief Minister Udhav Thackrey, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to form a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance.

"KCR is trying to ally with non-BJP, non-Congress parties. It's hard to put any opposition alliance without Congress. Udhav Thackrey is in alliance with Congress, JDS was in alliance with Congress, DMK is in alliance with Congress, Hemant Soren is in alliance with Congress and Mamta Benerhjee has a soft corner for Congress. So making a federal alliance without Congress will be hard for KCR," said CR Gowri Shankar.

N Ramachander Rao said previously KCR had tried to create an alternative alliance, but he failed. " This time too he is going to fail. He is free to enter national politics but more than that he is meeting these leaders to get their support in the future when his corruption cases will come to the public. KCR is meeting this leader because he is afraid of cases that are going to file against him for corruption. He wants an ally who can support him," he said.