Interview: KCR funding 50 Congress candidates reserve them in case BRS falls short of numbers, says Bandi Sanjay

Karimnagar: “Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is funding at least 50-60 Congress MLAs as a means to reserve their use. In case the BRS party falls short of numbers or does not cross the magic figure of 60/119 seats, these sponsored MLAs will cross over to BRS,” alleged Karimnagar parliamentarian and former BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

Following the party’s mandate that all MPs must contest in the ensuing Telangana Assembly elections, MP Bandi Sanjay is contesting from the Karimnagar Assembly segment opposite sitting BRS MLA and minister Gangula Kamalakar.

Speaking to NewsMeter at his residence in Karimnagar town, Bandi Sanjay revealed his preparations for election campaigning set to begin on November 7, which includes rallies planned with BJP Goshamahal candidate T Raja Singh, ahead of the upcoming polling across the state on November 30. This interview is part of NewsMeter’s election coverage.

Excerpts of the interview

Q. Why were you removed from the post of BJP state president, and recently Union home minister Amit Shah has declared that the BJP, if elected, will back a BC leader for the Telangana chief minister’s position. Will that be you?

A. Regarding the post of BJP president, it is the party’s decision and I won’t question them or seek reasons for the move. Whatever the party decides, I will humbly accept it. In politics, one needs to be patient.

With regards to a (Backward Class) BC candidate being chosen as the chief minister, it is a good decision and the BJP is the only party who is elevating a BC candidate. The high command will take the final call. We have given 50 per cent of tickets to BC candidates and also the highest number of tickets to women, unlike the BRS.

Q. Is there an understanding that BRS sitting MLA Gangula Kamalakar will be Karimnagar MLA and you will be the Karimnagar MP?

A. No, why would I want to lose? Karimnagar has eight zones, with 60 polling booths in each zone, comprising 390 polling stations. My padayatra will begin on November 7. From 7 am to 11 am, I will be touring the district on foot. In the afternoon, I will be campaigning for other BJP candidates in Nirmal and Hyderabad and resume my yatra from 5 pm to 10 pm. I have divided my campaign into five phases, covering the entire Karimnagar. BJP MLA from Goshamahal, T Raja Singh, will be my co-star campaigner in my rallies. With such a campaign in place, why would I want to lose to BRS?

Q. Will you prefer to be an MLA or an MP?

A. I prefer to be with the BJP, irrespective of the position.

Q. The Congress has accused the BJP of being the B-team of BRS in Telangana. What are your thoughts on it?

A. Let me remind you who the BRS voted for during the election for the president of India. Did the BRS support the NDA candidature of president Draupadi Murmu. How many bills that were introduced and subsequently passed by the NDA government did the BRS support? So, who do you think is the B-team of Congress? The BJP has always been an independent party in the state. If you look at the statistics, BJP’s vote share grew in the 2019 General Elections; the people of Telangana voted for BJP in four MP seats. It further grew during the GHMC municipal elections and let’s not forget about the by-elections to Huzurabad and Dubbak where the BJP won. If the BJP is the B-team of BRS, why will the people of Telangana vote for us? Today, the young voters favour the BJP.

Q. Why did the BJP declare its candidates late? The party is also facing allegations that only the Mudiraj community from the BCs have got more tickets.

A. The Central Selection Committee took time to clear the list since there was a huge competition, and they didn’t want to miss out on good candidates. It is incorrect to say that the Mudiraj community were given more tickets since the Goud and Yadhav communities were also given equal representation in the candidates list.

Karimnagar, a prominent urban agglomeration in the state, lies on the banks of the Manair River, a tributary of the Godavari River. This city plays a crucial role in the state’s development as a major centre for education and healthcare in the northern districts of Telangana. Additionally, it has recently emerged as an IT hub.

Karimnagar is renowned for its thriving business environment, particularly in the agricultural and granite industries, earning the moniker City of Granites. In recent years, the city has undergone significant development, being designated as a smart city. Notably, Pamela Satpathy has recently assumed the role of the newly appointed collector and district magistrate for Karimnagar, while Abhishek Mohanty serves as its new commissioner of police.