BJP president Amit Shah kicked off his ‘southern strategy’ to strengthen the party with an interaction with the party workers in Hyderabad and called upon them to go all out to strengthen the party.
Shah who arrived here on Thursday afternoon on the first visit after taking over the reigns, addressed a gathering of party workers at a function hall in Boenpally.
Shah, whose strategy was credited for the massive victory of the BJP in the general elections, will spend two days in the city and will address another meeting of village unit presidents from all over Telangana and interact with the State leaders of the party on how to make the party a strong political force in the State. “Amit Shahji will give us a road map on how to turn the party into a formidable force. It is not going to be difficult given the fact that the party has workers in every village of Telangana,” said K lakshman, party’s floorleader in Telangana Assembly.
On arrival at Hyderbad airport, the State leaders and workers of the BJP gave a rousing reception to Shah and took him in a procession. State BJP president G Kishan Reddy, national vice-president Bandaru Dattatreya, senior leader K lakshman, Ch Vidyasagar were among those who welcomed Shah.
While Thursday’s meeting was focused on strengthening the BJP in the State Capital and gear it up for the forthcoming elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the traditional rival of the BJP controls the GHMC with the support of Congress at present. But now MIM was likely to contest the election in alliance with the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
State BJP president G Kishan Reddy has given a call of ‘Majlis Hatao BJP Jitao’ (remove Majlis and bring BJP) to the party cadre. “BJP is going to win the Mayor post of Hyderabad,” Kishan Reddy exuded confidence.
The discussions of Shah with the State leaders was also likely to focus on the question of whether the BJP should continue its alliance with the TDP. It assumes significance because the State BJP president and other leaders have been blaming the alliance with the ‘anti-Telangana’ TDP for its poor performance in the recent lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Party leaders feel that despite supporting Telangana State demand and playing a key role in its formation at the Centre by supporting the Telangana Bill in Parliament, the party failed to do well in the polls because of alliance with the TDP which was seen as anti-Telangana force in the region.
The BJP was also focusing its attention on the by elections to the Medak lok Sabha seat vacated by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. With the Election Commission issuing the notification for the September 13 by election, the BJP like other parties was scouting for a strong winning candidate. Name of the BJP State president was doing rounds as possible candidate. But party sources said that Shah would take a decision based on his famous caste matrix of the constituency.
Party sources said that the party was likely to woo some important figures to join the party ranks. Name of actress and former MP Vijayashanti was also doing the rounds.
Along with the Congress, Shah was also likely to target the ruling TRS and the Chief Minister. The party has already started attacking the KCR regime describing its performance over the last two and a half month as unimpressive. The BJP was also finding fault with the TRS over its friendship with the MIM and its policy of reservation for Muslims.
Shah urged the newly created States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to work in a friendly and harmonious atmosphere and compete in matter of development.