BJP reduced to outcast in Telangana

No more a choice for seat aspirants in Telangana, the situation of the BJP has become so pathetic that it is finding it difficult to get candidates to contest from a majority of the 119 assembly constituencies in the State.

Hyderabad: There was a time when political leaders defecting or quitting from any other party preferred to jump over to the Bharatiya Janata Party. That is history now. The saffron brigade, which still makes unabashed claims about capturing power in Telangana, is now nowhere in the list of preferred list of parties with no politician willing to join the party.

No more a choice for seat aspirants in Telangana, the situation of the BJP has become so pathetic that it is finding it difficult to get candidates to contest from a majority of the 119 assembly constituencies in the State. In fact, for the first time in the history of the BJP, the party has invited applications for candidates willing to contest the Assembly polls. The move has surprised even senior leaders and functionaries of the party.

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Even though the entire State leadership is in constant consultation with senior leaders from rival parties in attempt to get onto the saffron bandwagon, none of them are willing to join the BJP. Except for former MLAs, sarpanches and seniors, who have no support base in their constituencies, no one else is showing interest in the BJP.

After the BRS announced the names of party candidates for 115 seats, the BJP leadership was hoping that a large number of MLAs and leaders, whose name did not figure in the list would join them, but to their surprise none of them showed interest.

According to party sources, the State leadership has been able to identify candidates for only 30 to 40 constituencies so far and is struggling to get candidates for the rest.
“Though the party has invited applications from people to contest polls, how far will it be useful is difficult to say,” a senior BJP functionary said. In fact, the BJP leaders are worried that if they do not get applications from a majority of the constituencies, it would be a major insult and embarrassment for the party.

Meanwhile, the State BJP leaders are highly disappointed as the much anticipated public meeting of Home Minister Amit Shah, called the ‘Rythu Gosa- BJP Bharosa’ in Khammam last week, could not generate the expected outcome as it had no message or assurances for farmers.

Shah was supposed to make announcements to create confidence among the farming community of Telangana, but as usual he stuck to routine political rhetoric disappointing the party workers, who were planning to take his message to the farmers across the State. The leaders wonder if the event served the objective for which it was organised.

With the BRS riding high on its schemes such as the Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and the crop loan waiver, it has become very difficult for the BJP to win the confidence of the farming community. The lack of interest among politicians is just rubbing in the salt.