Ravi Shankar Prasad sees key role for BJP in AP, Telangana after 2019 polls

​Hyderabad: The ruling TRS in Telangana and Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh have to watch out for BJP strategies in the 2019 general election. If words of senior leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad are any indication, saffron party is eyeing both the Telugu states and would leave no stone unturned to gain the confidence of the people. Prasad said they have a role to play in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after the next Lok Sabha elections.

The Union minister was in Hyderabad as part of NDA government's campaign to highlight its achievements and initiatives across the country coinciding with the completion of four-year rule the NDA. Ravi Shankar Prasad said the BJP has become a pan-India party and won Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, northeastern state of Tripura, where it had little presence earlier and securing highest number of seats in Karnataka was a testimony to it. 

He said the bypoll performances need not be treated as parameters for the Centre's rule as they are decided by local factors. He was reacting to a query on the BJP not faring well in bypoll results in Uttar Pradesh, counting for which was held on Thursday. When asked about his reaction on the comments of Chief Ministers of the two Telugu states that the NDA government was not helping them as desired, the senior leader said they were treating all governments equally and southern states are no exception. 

He said Andhra Pradesh was given required funds in the last four years and he cannot react to statements made by leaders who speak due to political compulsions at the local level. The Union minister said both the states would continue to get Centre's support even in the future. Replying to a query on the Federal Front efforts by Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao, he said the BJP was neither the official nor the unofficial advisor for the Front.

“First front, second front and third front attempts were made in the past with Deve Gowda and IK Gujral who were at the helm of affairs. However, they did not last long. Only the BJP could give a stable government for five years. 

We also have regional allies on board with us and the NDA is comprising more than 20 parties," he said and pointed out that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi declared himself as the PM candidate for the entire Opposition, which he felt was an opportunistic alliance. 

He said that under Narendra Modi's leadership a lot was achieved in the last four years propelling the country on the road to development with high hopes and aspirations and predicted that PM's clean image, people-friendly policies and initiatives, good governance would help them continue their good show in the 2019 elections.