All-out BRS efforts to attract, retain minority vote bank

Hyderabad: The BRS is making all efforts to attract and retain the minority vote bank as the party leadership has been alleging nexus between the two national parties—the Congress and BJP--. It has asked party leaders, including the social media brigade. to spread the message that it alone had secular credentials.

The party organised several meetings, including the preparatory meetings for the Lok Sabha segments. The leadership has asked the cadre to spread the message that both the Congress and BJP had colluded. The leaders feel a large number of Muslim voters in several constituencies would play a key role in the Lok Sabha elections. There is an argument that Muslims voted for the Congress in the Assembly elections, which was decisive in it coming to power. Now the main Opposition party believes it can win a good number of seats if Muslims can vote for them instead of the Congress.

Sources said BRS working president KT Rama Rao had insisted to expose the alleged BJP communal politics in the recent Karimnagar Lok Sabha preparatory meeting. They said a video was played where the past BJP president Bandi Sanjay talked about digging graves and if temples are found. They should be given to Hindus; if bodies are found they should be given to Muslims. Rao was critical about this. He said, “do we need such leaders who talk about demolishing mosques. Spread this video in villages and show how only the BRS can ensure safety of Muslims in the country.” The party’s social media was specifically told about spreading this message to masses. He has been asking party leaders to convey that BRS spent Rs 12,000 crore on the minorities--the highest in history.

KTR also commented against ‘bulldozing the self-respect of minorities, especially Muslims in Telangana ’ at the party’s minority wing meeting in Jubilee Hills on Saturday. He said the Congress government adopted the BJP "bulldozer" policy against the minorities. “While the BJP governments are demolishing properties of the minorities in their States, in Telangana, the Revanth Reddy government is “bulldozing” the self-respect of Muslims. The Congress is in revenge mode against Muslims who supported the BRS in the Assembly elections," said Rao.

He alleged that communal tension resurfaced in the State due to the Congress returning to power, citing recent incidents in Sangareddy, Nalgonda, and other places on January 22. Rao criticized the government for failing to handle the incidents appropriately.

A senior party leader said Muslim voters generally vote en mass for a party; if they decide to vote for the BRS it is slated to gain significantly.