MP Arvind adopted two pronged strategy strengthen BJP, weaken BRS, Congress

HYDERABAD: BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind has adopted a two-pronged strategy to strengthen the party in his Nizamabad parliamentary constituency as the countdown begins to the Assembly polls later this year and the Lok Sabha polls next year.

On the one hand he is inviting senior leaders from the BRS and the Congress into the BJP fold while also encouraging newcomers to join party. He has implemented this strategy in all seven Assembly segments in the constituency.

Of the 17 Parliamentary constituencies in the state, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao daughter, Telangana Jagruti (now Bharat Jagruti) founder K. Kavitha, showed interest in Nizamabad. She won in 2014 but lost to Arvind in 2019.

The defeat sent shockwaves through the BRS, which has renewed its focus on the Nizamabad parliamentary constituency, thus setting the stage for a battle royal.

Arvind has invited senior Congress leader Medapati Prakash Reddy, who had unsuccessfully contested the polls. BRS leader V. Mohan Reddy, a former chairman of the Nizamabad Cooperative Sugar Factory (NCSF), has joined the BJP.

In the Nizamabad Urban Assembly constituency, Arvind is backing BJP state executive committee member Dhanpal Suryanarayana Gupta. A strong contender, Gupta has relations with different sections of people. Arvind secured the entry of businessman Paidi Rakesh Reddy into the party in Armoor, where the BJP got around 20,000 votes in the last elections and a majority in the general elections.

In Balkonda, Arvind has netted A.Mallikarjun Reddy, son of former minister Mahipal Reddy and former MLA A. Annapurnamma. He has also got municipal chairperson Sravani in Jagtial Assembly segment and Surabhi Naveen in Korutla to join the BJP.

Not only MLA ticket aspirants, other leaders too have switched parties. Around 10 sarpanchs in Bodhan constituency joined the BJP from the BRS.

On other hand, a few BJP leaders including party Nizamabad district president Baswapuram Laxminarsaiah have parted ways with Arvind.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior BJP leader said that Arvind had created competition among ticket aspirants in all seven Assembly segments under the Nizamabad parliamentary constituency. “Arvind has differences with the state party leadership, but he has concentrated on the party growth,” the leader said.