Away from poll heat, BJP fields stalwarts on Telangana front

With the Congress listless, the BJP believes it has an opportunity to occupy the vacant Opposition space in the state. The row over Kumar’s arrest follows the criticism the TRS government is facing over the paddy crisis in the state, with farmers putting pressure on it to acquire the bumper crop.

The issue Kumar was protesting over has been gaining traction since the Telangana government last month passed an order saying the district collector and head of department will decide on postings and transfers for district cadre posts, including teachers and other officials. The government said the transfers were necessary as Telangana had created 23 new districts since its formation in 2014. Teachers and other government staff are protesting that their place of residence and seniority is not being taken into account and that employees are being transferred arbitrarily.

The first to fly down to register his protest over Bandi’s arrest was BJP president J P Nadda who, despite the poll pressure of the five coming Assembly elections, came to lead a rally. The plan was later scrapped as police cautioned that the meeting, expected to draw thousands of BJP workers, would be a Covid risk, but in a direct attack on Rao, Nadda accused the CM of being undemocratic and intolerant of any criticism, and of being afraid of the BJP. The tussle, he said, was a “Dharma Yuddh”.

Since then, Central minister Bhagwanth Khuba, former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma have held meetings, all well-attended, while ex-Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis is coming Tuesday.

Chouhan said CM Rao was “living in fear” and that, “A CM should respond when a senior Opposition party leader raises any issue, not drag and arrest him.” Raman Singh said “Nizam’s rule” runs in Telangana. Speaking at Warangal Sunday night, Sarma said: “We have to take a pledge to build a new India in which there is no space for Owaisi, Aurangazeb, Babar, Nizam. In the coming days, no one will read the history of Nizam or of Owaisi, they will be forgotten. The history of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Kakatiya warriors, will be read. The way Article 370 was scrapped in J&K, Ram mandir’s construction has begun, the day is not far when the Nizams and Owaisi will be forgotten. A new culture based on Indian civilization will emerge.”

Senior BJP leader N Ramchander Rao said a second phase of public meetings by BJP leaders would start after Sankranti on January 14. Party incharge Tarun Chug said more Central leaders would visit to keep up the pressure over “the failures of the TRS government, and the highhandedness of police”.

A divided Congress has been unable to gain momentum in the state, with firebrand PCC leader Revanth Reddy not commanding the support of other party leaders. On the other hand, since its dismal 2018 Assembly poll performance, the BJP has been gaining ground – wresting the Dubbaka Assembly Constituency in a by-poll from the TRS in November 2020, registering a stunning win in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation a month later, and winning the Huzurabad by-election in October last year despite the CM joining his ministers in efforts to retain the seat. The TRS had even launched its much-vaunted Dalit Bandhu scheme from there.

Since then, there have been several instances of Opposition parties accusing the TRS government of high-handed tactics. On December 27, PCC chief Revanth Reddy was put under house arrest ahead of a visit to KCR’s farmhouse in Erabelli village. Reddy had accused the CM of growing paddy on 150 acres himself while encouraging farmers to diversify into other crops.

Last year, C Naveen, an activist who runs a news channel on social media that has been a staunch critic of the Telangana CM, was arrested on various charges, including defaming Rao. He is out on bail.

BJP state chief Bandi said the government actions showed how rattled the TRS was after the Huzurabad defeat. “The CM is cracking down on anyone expressing dissent, but we will not let it go, the fight has just started,” he said.