BJP readying for polls: Laxman

Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit president K Laxman said that his party is geared up in all respects and welcome the election schedule announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). “Marpu Kosam-Eesari BJP,” will be the party’s main slogan, he added.

Addressing media here on Saturday, he said that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s (TRS) failures, K Chandrashekar Rao’s dictatorial governance, and the Congress’ opportunity politics would be principal issues in the party's campaign. The party chief Amit Shah will be addressing a public meeting on October 10 at Karimnagar. Also, Shah will be addressing another public meeting on the concluding day of a two-day national conclave of Bharatiya Yuva Morcha (NJYM) which will be held in the city on October 27 and 28. 

The State Election Committee (SEC) will discuss on October 10 about the probable candidates identified during the three-day consultative meetings with the party cadre held from October 5. The names will be recommended to the BJP National Parliamentary Board (NPD) for its decision. Since the last date for filing the nominations is November 12, the list of candidates will be announced in a phased manner before that, he added.

Laxman said that the party had already jumped into action in every Assembly constituency and there will be three meetings from Sunday onwards. They include booth-wise meetings and meetings with youth, BCs, and others to create awareness. The National party will be deciding the schedules of visits of the national leaders, Union Ministers and leaders from other BJP ruled States to take part in the public meetings in Telangana.

He said that caretaker Chief Minister is trying to take people of the State for a raid rising Pothi Reddy Padu and Pulichintala projects. But, foundation stones for both the projects were laid in the presence of Naini Narasimha Reddy and T Harish Rao, Distinct In-charge Ministers in the Congress-TRS government lead by Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in united AP, he said. Also, two more Ministers in the present Chandrashekar Rao cabinet, Eatala Rajender and Jagadish Reddy defied the fatwa of Chandrashekar Rao and participated in a protest organised by TJAC under the chairmanship of Prof Kodandaram, he said. 

Laxman asked Kodandaram to clarify his stand on joining forces with the Congress and the TDP and playing opportunist politics forming Mahakutami. The former BJP MLA criticised TDP chief and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for trying to link the raids of income tax department with politics and to portray as if the raids are attacks on people of AP.