Telangana politics: BJP leader claims numerous TRS, Congress MLAs ready to join the party

Yadadri Bhuvanagiri (Telangana): Telangana's Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) Natcharaju Venkata Subhash has claimed that numerous MLAs from the ruling TRS and Opposition Congress will join the BJP. Subhash also expressed confidence that the people of the state will give a chance to the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled next year. Subhash told ANI on Tuesday, "TRS MLAs are unable to go to their respective constituencies because of the false promises which KCR made, as they cannot face the public ire. They have decided that around 15 to 18 TRS MLAs will join the BJP. Not only from TRS, but around five MLAs from Congress have also given their consent. According to their time, they are going to join." 

"In this connection, it is very clear and evident that BJP where Praja Sangrama yatra of Bandi Sanjay, where huge crowd joined shows that people are very confident that only BJP will fulfil the aspirations of Telangana people and many people have decided to because there is a double engine government at the centre," ANI quoted him as saying.

According to him, "In the upcoming days the people of Telangana have decided to vote for the Bharatiya Janata party because they have given chance to all the political parties except BJP, under the leadership of Bandi Sanjay and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people of Telangana have decided that BJP is the only party that will fulfil the aspirations of Telangana." 

Praja Sangrama Yatra 

BJP Telangana unit chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday embarked on phase three of Praja Sangrama Yatra to "expose the misdeeds and corrupt rule" of the state government, said party leader P Sudhakar Reddy while speaking to ANI.

"In Telangana, the TRS government totally failed under the leadership of CM KCR. They are busy with selfish political games. He was there in Delhi for seven days and nobody knows for what he went to Delhi, he only met a couple of leaders like Akhilesh Yadav," Reddy said, adding "Every section of people is facing problems, one side IIIT students in Basara and other side food poisoning incidents are also reported. People are still facing hardships in Bhadrachalam with recent floods."

Calling the TRS government a "total failure", the BJP state chief alleged that KCR made false promises. "The TRS government is a total failure government and farmers are not getting loans and it is very unfortunate as many false promises were given. They also allege that the Centre is not giving any money, instead of accepting their failures, they want to throw mud at the central government," he further said. 

Telangana Congress MLA Rajagopal Reddy quits party, post

Ahead of next year's Assembly elections, Telangana Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy on Tuesday announced his resignation from the party and also his post, saying he would seek time from Legislative Assembly Speaker to submit his resignation.

Attacking the ruling TRS for its alleged anti-people rule, the legislator from Munugode near Nalgonda said that he is quitting as MLA to open the eyes of the government as it has not ensured development of constituencies of opposition MLAs.

KR Reddy said he would consult his followers, well-wishers and family members to decide which party to join and whether to contest the by-poll following his resignation. Reddy, who maintained that he had respect for the Congress and party chief Sonia Gandhi, however, said that only the BJP, under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, can end the atrocious rule of TRS.

Rajagopal Reddy's announcement put an end to protracted speculation that he would quit the Congress and as MLA and join the BJP. Media reports say that he recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and that victory in the inevitable by-poll would give a boost to BJP in the state. 

An influential leader from Nalgonda district who had served as MP and MLC earlier, Rajagopal Reddy's elder brother Venkata Reddy is a sitting Congress Lok Sabha member.

Meanwhile, state Congress president and MP A Revanth Reddy alleged that Rajagopal Reddy is switching sides out of business considerations. He said Congress convened a meeting on August 5 at Munugode to gear up the party for by-elections. 

Union Minister Shekhawat slams TRS govt over corruption

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat hit out at Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for not fulfilling his promises like making a Dalit the chief minister and also over alleged corruption in the Kaleswaram project. 

"The promise that KCR Saab made, he had said we will have a Dalit Chief Minister in Telangana. There is about 14-15 per cent Dalit population in Telangana. About 10 per cent Adivasi population lives in Telangana. KCR Saab did not find any capable person who can become the Chief Minister among that population," a PTI report quoted him as saying in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Addressing a public meeting, organised to mark the beginning of the third phase of the 'padayatra' of state BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar,  at the temple town of Yadadri, the Union Minister claimed that the pump houses of three dams of the project are sunk under water now following recent heavy rains in view of its allegedly wrong design.

There were engineering-related shortcomings in the project and neither was it planned properly nor its investment cleared, he alleged, adding that environment clearance was also not carried out. Shekhawat further said, "They installed the Kaleswaram project in Telangana illegally, only as a cow that gives milk and as a machine that earns money."

The TRS government wants to blame the Centre now to hide its failures vis-a-vis the project, he charged, adding that Telangana was a surplus state when it was formed in 2014 but the debt burden has mounted now.

Sanjay Kumar, who will take up the 'padayatra' for 24 days from Tuesday, attacked the TRS government for not fulfilling his promises, including a farm loan waiver for Rs one lakh, distribution of free urea to farmers, "one job in every household," dole to unemployed youth and three acres of land to Dalits.

The 'padayatra' would be held for 24 days covering 328 km and conclude at Warangal. Kumar will reportedly be visiting 12 Assembly constituencies in five districts during the foot march. Known for his strong Hindutva views, Kumar launched the first phase of 'padayatra' last year from the Bhagya Lakshmi temple at Charminar here. The second phase of the 'yatra' was held in April this year.

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)