Hyderabad: Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who completed two years since taking charge as president of the Telangana state BJP unit, is excitedly discussing the exit polls with party leaders when Deccan Chronicle meets him for an interview. He is making comparisons of the electoral projections made public by various TV channels with the internal assessments of the party.
“The biggest takeaway from these projections,” he says, after the customary and standard disclaimer on how exit polls could eventually be different from the actual results, “is how there is a qualitative difference between deliveries of development and welfare by the BJP state governments, and others. There is a nation-wide wave thirsting for double engine growth.”
Discussing Telangana, whose politics were qui-te spectacularly altered after he took charge of the state BJP, which has never been even a serious player, much less so a force, rising to credibly stake claim as the alternative to the ruling dominant force, the TRS, Sanjay says, “Across all sections, there is a deep-rooted anger against the TRS government and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.”
“Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has broken so many promises, no one believes in his promises. People want the BJP, and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and double engine growth.”
Sanjay says it is undemocratic and authoritarian on the part of the TRS to suspend the three BJP MLAs from the Assembly session. “They are killing all dissent. They don't even want to allow public representatives to ask questions. The BJP will conduct dharnas against this act of murder of democracy across the state.”
Dismissing the Congress as a failing and falling party across India, Sanjay Kumar said, “The exit polls show that the fall of the Congress from more states and regions across India is imminent. Why would people want to replace a corrupt, family-ruled TRS with a party which is the fountainhead of the paradigm? After all, the Congress is largely responsible for institutionalising and normalising nepotism, corruption, policy paralysis and dishonouring of poll promises in our politics.”
Responding to a query on the political moves by Chandrashekar Rao on creating a third front against the Narendra Modi government, Sanjay Kumar said, “Three stinging defeats at the hands of the BJP in Dubbak, the GHMC and Huzurabad made him realise he cannot justify his rule. It is a diversionary tactic but people can see through it.”
When questioned why people in Telangana, who are beneficiaries of TRS schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Dalit Bandhu, 2BKH for poor, free agrarian power, Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak, Aasara pension and Rs 3 lakh grant to plot owners to build houses, would want BJP schemes, he replied, “Half the schemes are on paper. People who are eligible for Rs 3 lakh house scheme have told us that they have paid bribes to the tune of Rs 1 lakh to TRS leaders but are yet to get the money. Same is with Aasara pension, unemployment allowance or Dalit Bandhu. People have understood the difference between the TRS schemes, which are for the leaders to make money and BJP schemes, which actually reach the people.”
Castigating the TRS government for denying Central schemes to the people of the state, he said, “People want Kisan Fasal Bima, PM Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat. But the TRS does not even want to allow the Smart Cities project, or even acquire land for Central industries because we will get credit.”
Strongly criticising breakdown of law and order in the KCR regime, the state BJP chief said, “A lawyer couple is murdered in broad daylight. Journalists and social media commentators find false cases foisted on them and get arrested. Kidnappings of political rivals who are fighting against the corruption of leaders. Is this Bangaru Telangana?”
Remaining modest about his own achievements in giving a surge to BJP in the state, he said, “It is because of the love people have for Modi that the party is growing, and the support from all Central leaders, especially J.P. Nadda, Amit Shah and B.L. Santosh, and various Central ministers. We are an activist-led party and we are all activists.”
When asked why there was no action against top TRS leaders on corruption charges, despite his allegations, he said, “We don’t misuse power. The Central government is not here to send the CBI or ED etc. to support our state unit’s fight. We will fight legally and when a court directs a CBI probe, it will happen. The party and government are not the same for the BJP.”
Sanjay Kumar said in the coming days, several programmes would be held to increase the strength of the party. “We don’t begin to build our party organisation by inviting leaders who can contest polls. We build from the booth-level. The world’s largest political party knows a bit about it.”
When asked if he was facing any opposition from within the party, especially from seniors and old-timers, he said, “In a democratic party like ours, which belongs to all and not a family, there will be discussions and disagreements. We thrive on it. At the end of the day, we submit all ideas and reports and the Central leadership takes major decisions. All BJP leaders work eventually for the party and our goal is to ensure that a BJP government is formed in Telangana, which we will achieve.”
