Opinion: GHMC polls prove BJP is here to stay

Foundation

Right from the word go, Karimnagar MP and Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay assumed the captaincy. He led from the front in the Dubbaka by-polls. TRS' biggest mistake was using government machinery, harassing BJP cadres and manhandling the BJP president which was all over social media. The TRS supremo has to realize that this is the age of social media and people cannot be oppressed with the fear of arrest or cases being slapped against them if they question the government.

People were looking for all-round political governance with accountability from each TRS MLA and work being more visible and tangible. Instead, what they got was power being consolidated in a few hands and no work being done. Take the case of the COVID-19 pandemic and the floods that ravaged the GHMC area. Where were the elected MLAs and corporators? Most of them were MIA (missing in action) and not visible on the ground. The shocking part was doling out Rs. 10,000 for each flood-affected family, many of whom did not even get the money. It was very obvious why the money was given just days before the GHMC elections announcement.

The ruling TRS made multiple threatening statements like claiming that the BJP will make GHMC "moneyless" and that whoever comes to power in the GHMC elections still has to depend for money on the state government. Were these statements really warranted especially at a time when the public was already fed up with the TRS antics? People wanted them to address bigger issues such as the collapse of urban infrastructure in the GHMC limits, potholes bigger than moon craters, roads turning into Olympic-sized swimming pools, young kids getting killed after falling into open drains, cars floating like toy cars, expensive gated communities now resembling islands (Is this the Venice KCR talked of?), government hospitals having natural waterfalls due to leaking roofs and river-like water gushing out of all the departments on to the roads, to name a few. Chief Minister KCR was miles away from the people, thanks to his farmhouse governance.

The campaign: Icing on the cake

Sensing an opportunity, the Central leadership of BJP, under all-India president J.P Nadda and Home minister Amit Shah, did meticulous planning and appointed central and other observers for this poll, which proved to be a successful template. The state leadership was also able to identify the right candidates. Campaigning by Mr. Nadda , Amit Shah, minister of state (Home) Kishan Reddy, MP Bhupendra Yadav, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Smriti Irani, Dev Fadnavis , Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay, MP Arvind Dharmapuri , and MLC Ramchandra Rao gave more power to the cadre on the ground.

Whatever the TRS internal analysis and their blame game, one thing has become very clear – the BJP is within striking distance of forming a government in the next Assembly elections.