BJP on Cloud 9 after NTB, SSCTU announcements

Hyderabad: The State BJP is on cloud 9 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced setting up of National Turmeric Board (NTB) and the Sammakka-Sarakka Central Tribal University (SSCTU) on Sunday. The party has set its eyes on improving its seats tally in Adilabad, KomaramBheemAsifabad, Nirmal, Mancherial, Nizamabad, Jagtial, Peddapalli, Kamareddy, Rajanna Sircilla and Karimnagar districts in north Telangana.

But the BJP has come under attack by the ruling BRS for not delivering its promise in the last Parliament elections that it would set up a turmeric board. The Nizambad Lok Sabha constituency has become a prestige issue for BJP to retain and to re-win by the BRS.

The Nizambad Lok Sabha seat was earlier represented by K Kavitha. She had lost to BJP Arvind Dhrmapuri. But she vowed to hunt him wherever he contests in the ensuing elections and to defeat him. The MP welcomed it.

The BJP has resolved to defeat those closer to KCR and his family in the earlier elections leaving no stone unturned to ensure that it retains Nizambad, Karimnagar and Adilabad Lok Sabha seats. Besides, given the increase in the vote share, the saffron brigade hopes to win the Assembly segments, making north Telangana a battleground for both BRS and BJP. The constant criticism mounted against the BJP was that it misled turmeric farmers to win elections by promising turmeric board; but let them down after winning. The announcement of NTB on Sunday has come as a sigh of relief for party to train guns against the BRS--to go to people that it will deliver what it promises, unlike the pink brigade.

The BJP needed NTB as MPs from Karimnagar and Nizambad are to contest the ensuing assembly elections. The party is eying electoral gains in Khammam district and other tribal reserved constituencies.

It sees the Podu land distribution, alleged attacks on tribals by the Forest staff and the police. The government failure to accord 10 per cent reservation in proportion to ST population is boiling into a brewing anger among them towards the BRS.