Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Telangana on a campaign trail, where he amplified the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) pitch for a backward-class Chief Minister in the state. The Prime Minister addressed a massive rally in Hyderabad, where he not only advocated for a Chief Minister from the backward classes but also launched a scathing attack on the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and its chief, K. Chandrashekar Rao, commonly known as KCR.
In his address to the enthusiastic crowd, PM Modi reaffirmed the BJP’s commitment to empowering leaders from the backward communities, saying, “Telangana deserves a Chief Minister who understands the aspirations and struggles of the backward classes. The BJP is dedicated to the cause of social justice, and we are determined to provide a strong leader from these communities.”
Modi’s statement came as a clear signal that the BJP intends to position a leader from the backward classes as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections. The Prime Minister’s message was aimed at not only countering the incumbent KCR but also addressing the state’s diverse social fabric.
The Prime Minister didn’t stop there; he used the rally as a platform to criticize KCR and the TRS government for their governance track record. He highlighted issues like unemployment, underdevelopment, and alleged corruption in the state. “Telangana has tremendous potential, but the state has been held back by the misrule and mismanagement of the TRS government,” Modi stated.
PM Modi also aimed for the Telangana Chief Minister’s proposed ‘Bangaru Telangana’ scheme, calling it a “gimmick” and “an empty promise.” He accused KCR of using such schemes as election tactics to mislead the voters.
The Prime Minister didn’t shy away from taking a swipe at the Telangana Chief Minister’s family either. KCR’s daughter, K. Kavitha, is a prominent politician in the state. Modi questioned the dynastic politics and said, “Telangana doesn’t need a family-centric government; it needs a government that works for the people.”
The BJP’s move to emphasize the backward-class Chief Minister pitch is seen as an attempt to woo a significant chunk of the electorate in Telangana, where social and political dynamics play a pivotal role in elections. The state is scheduled to hold assembly elections in 2023, and the battle for power in Telangana is expected to be fiercely contested.
The Prime Minister’s visit and his bold statements have added another layer of intensity to the political atmosphere in Telangana. As the election season unfolds, it will be interesting to observe how these developments shape the discourse and influence the choices made by the voters in the state.