Hyderabad: “Come back home.” With this call, Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Friday called on leaders from the party who quit to join the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, and others who are in the ruling party but want to strengthen the BJP, to return, or join the party fold.
He was speaking at an event where the party felicitated the actress and party leader Vijayashanti upon completing 25 years in politics.
Sanjay stated that those who left the BJP over "minor issues" or "perceived differences" should return, while asserting that by uniting “we can become even stronger and defeat KCR and put an end to his autocratic rule. All those who believe that politics should be based on principles, and who are ideologically inclined towards the BJP, should come and join the party.
“The BJP is the only party where a person selling tea can go on to become the Prime Minister, and a common party karyakarta can rise to be the country’s President.” Bandi Sanjay Kumar, state BJP president. (Photo: Twitter)
The BJP is the only party where a person selling tea can go on to become Prime Minister, and a common party karyakarta can rise to be President,” Sanjay remarked. He was speaking at the party headquarters during celebrations of party leader and former MP Vijayashanti completing 25 years in politics. A book, ‘Ramulamma Rajakeeya Prasthanam,’ was released on the occasion.
“As the state party president, if I make a mistake, anyone in the party can question me. The matter can be escalated to the party’s higher levels if I do not correct myself. In regional parties like the BRS, this option does not exist as one family controls the party and everyone else must fall in line,” Sanjay asserted.
Union minister G. Kishan Reddy congratulating Vijayashanti on the milestone, recalled how she had extensively campaigned for the BJP, and never bowed to pressure. “I wish her that she completes 50 years in the party,” he added.
Party national general secretary Tarun Chugh complimented the actor-turned-politician for her service and recalled how she stood up in the Parliament to support statehood for Telangana. “But at the crucial time, the man who is now the Chief Minister was nowhere to be seen in the Lok Sabha,” Chugh remarked.
Vijayashanti recalled meeting then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in 1998, and joining the BJP because she was convinced that it was a disciplined party.
“I do not chase after posts, and strived to achieve statehood for Telangana. I founded the Talli Telangana party to fight back against people who were against Telangana,” she stated.
Referring to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, whose TRS she joined later, she said he tried his best to defeat her and suspended her from the party the day the announcement of Telangana state was made.
“As long as I am alive, I will continue to work for Telangana. If everyone works together, this time the BJP can come to power in the state. KCR has no love lost for Telangana and is only focused on looting the state and grabbing the land of the poor,” she said.
