BJP to launch program to attract leaders from rival parties in Telangana

Since the BJP does not have a vote-bank as Congress and BRS has in Telangana, it was trying to attract leaders from other parties so that it could gain in the Lok Sabha polls

Hyderabad: The BJP, which is hoping to win over 10 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Telangana, has decided to start a month long exercise to recruit leaders from other parties in the State to strengthen the party in all the 17 Parliamentary constituencies. As part of its exercise, the BJP leadership will be going all out to woo leaders of Congress, BRS and other parties to join the saffron brigade.

The State leadership has decided to dedicate the entire month to welcome leaders from rival parties. In fact, BJP State President G Kishan Reddy has already started inviting leaders from rival parties from various platforms. On Friday, he hinted that more leaders from other parties would be joining the BJP. “We have decided to dedicate the entire February for new joinings. An action plan is being prepared for this purpose, “he said.

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Sources in the party say that during the month the party leaders would not only invite leaders from other parties but also enroll prominent persons, including social activists. The leaders have been asked to take up joining programmes at the booth level so that in every constituency the party has a presence before the Lok Sabha polls, the sources added.

Party district presidents have been asked to intensify ‘Operation Lotus’ in their respective districts and try to get as many as possible leaders from other parties. The Saffron leadership tried its best to attract prominent leaders from other parties during the assembly elections, but it failed in its attempt. In fact, several prominent leaders like Gaddam Vivekanand, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Vijayashanthi, A Chandrasekhar and a few other leaders left the party and joined Congress before the assembly polls, affecting the party’s prospects during the assembly polls.

Since the BJP does not have a vote-bank as Congress and BRS has in Telangana, it was trying to attract leaders from other parties so that it could gain in the Lok Sabha polls, the sources said. However, there are leaders who believe that the exercise would not help the BJP much as no prominent leader would join the party just for providing support for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.