Bandi Sanjay Kumar: ‘This Lok Sabha election like IPL … and Congress has no captain, neither does INDIA bloc’

“Too many power centres in the Congress, so too many power cuts,” says former Telangana BJP chief who will try to retain his constituency Karimnagar in the fourth phase on May 13

Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar during the interview with The Indian Express. (Photo: Liz Mathew)

The BJP faces a tough fight in Telangana not only from the Congress that stormed to power last year but also the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) that is trying to reclaim some of its lost ground. Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, one of the BJP’s prominent faces in the state and a former state president of the party who has been renominated, talks to The Indian Express about the party’s prospects. Telangana votes in the fourth phase on May 13.

Excerpts:

Has the BJP recovered from the Assembly poll loss a few months ago?

State elections are different and are fought on local issues. The BRS candidate won the Karimnagar Assembly seat because all the Muslim voters, who are a fourth of the total, voted for him. And yet, I lost only by 3,000 votes.

The BRS lost the Assembly polls despite offering a series of welfare schemes. Now the BJP is talking about welfare schemes…

The BRS government of KCR (ex-CM K Chandrasekhar Rao) was using money sent by the Modi government at the Centre to implement schemes in his (KCR’s) name. When Nirmala Sitharaman visited Telangana and saw that PM Modi’s photo was missing from the publicity material, she was furious.

The Congress is also promising several welfare schemes.

When it comes to this election, it is (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi who matters, no one else. This election is all about Modi.

The BJP cadre seems upset that you have fielded a lot of outsiders.

The BJP is a political party … We have to bring in people to make it strong. The cadre is with Modi. This election is like IPL — Indian Political League — and the Congress has no captain, neither does the INDIA bloc. The BJP’s captain is PM Modi. Who is their captain? People here know Modi has initiated programmes like free ration and the PM Awas Yojana. They know who is funding all these programmes.

What are the challenges you face?

The BJP wants to focus on the work it has done. We are talking about all the schemes Modi has initiated. For instance, in my Karimnagar constituency alone, the National Highway development work worth Rs 5,700 crore has been sanctioned. KCR did not give a rupee to panchayats. He promised Rs 5 lakh to their elected sarpanchs but did not give anything. That is why so many have turned against him. The Congress is also not in a position to implement schemes or give money for village development. People know they will have to depend on Modi for funds.

The BRS failed in its promise of fee reimbursement for students. As a result, many students were denied hall tickets for writing exams. They were allowed only after the BJP put a lot of pressure.

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Does being in power give the Congress an advantage?

Too many power centres in the Congress, so too many power cuts.

Has the Ram Mandir consecration changed anything?

There was a groundswell of support for Modi around the Ram Temple event. In fact, we are distributing framed photos of the temple to all six-lakh households in my constituency and they are very enthusiastic about it.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

Liz Mathew

Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home). ... Read More