Congress will die as it has no leadership: D.K. Aruna

Hyderabad: Congress will die as it has no leadership, said BJP vice president D.K. Aruna. The BJP is performing well under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and party president J.P. Nadda.

Under their guidance, Union minister of state G. Kishan Reddy and TS BJP president Bandi Sanjay are working hard to take on the TRS. The victory at Dubbak will give a boost to the BJP in the GHMC elections, she said in an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle.

Q. What is the agenda of the BJP for the GHMC elections?

A. The ruling party has failed to keep the promises it had made during the GHMC elections in 2016. The TRS sarkar and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao have lost credibility among the poor. K.T. Rama Rao has failed in running the municipal administration department. He has only looked after his own publicity rather than rendering justice to the poor. We will take up the issues of the poor like double bedroom houses, roads and drainage, the flood relief fund scam, corruption among corporators and the land regularisation scheme.

Q. You have alleged that there has been no development in Hyderabad under the TRS regime.

A. Yes, absolutely. The previous governments were far better compared with the TRS. The Outer Ring Road and other important infrastructure were established by past governments, not the TRS. The TRS is only painting the old structures and claiming credit. Cities like Indore are much better than Hyderabad. In the floods of October, hundreds of colonies and slum areas were badly affected. Where is the Dallas in the making? The Istanbul in the making?

Q. Are you confident that the BJP will perform better?

A. Yes. With the Dubbak result, we are very confident that the people of Greater Hyderabad will give us first place. We received excellent voting from the rural places in Dubbak, which is a great development for the BJP. Before the Dubbak poll, we didn’t have much voting in the rural areas. We are focusing more on the urban areas. This is the best practice for the Assembly elections. People are also looking to the BJP in a positive manner with the Centre allocating thousands of crores to cities under the Smart Cities project.

Q. There is speculation that you have prepared a list of leaders who are ready to join the BJP. Is this correct?

A. TRS and Congress leaders including former MPs and MLAs are in the queue to join the BJP in light of the day-to-day development of the party. My former colleagues and seniors are likely to join the BJP before the GHMC polls and the MLC graduates constituency elections. I have not specifically prepared any list but 10 to 15 key leaders who are unhappy in the Congress and the TRS will join the BJP soon.

Q. What is the secret behind your promotion in the BJP, from a newcomer to party vice president?

A. It happened only with hard work and dedication and the party high command was observing it. I am doing my best for the BJP so that it can come to power. The leadership has given me a position at the national level and has also accommodated me as co-incharge of the Karnataka BJP. I am thankful to BJP president J.P. Nadda for giving me the responsibility to do hard work and better the outcome. Basically, I know Karnataka very well, and Raichur is near the border of my constituency.