Will the 2nd phase of Bandi Sanjay Kumar's Yatra be a defining moment for BJP?

Hyderabad: The second phase of the Praja Sangrama Yatra of its State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar to set the much-needed push to the saffron bridge to emerge as a formidable force vis a vis ruling TRS in the State, feel the BJP leaders. According to the party sources, the Karimnagar MP to kickstart his second phase of yatra from April 14 in a changing political landscape of the State.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior party leader said that the ruling TRS had taken the BJP's strength lightly after its win in Dubbaka and GHMC elections because the party had faced defeat in subsequent by-polls. This made the ruling TRS take the light of the party's efforts to gain ground across the State. "The TRS took the winning of Dubbaka by-poll and GHMC by the BJP was just as two exceptions happened out of luck and fluke. The TRS view had further got credibility following the BJP candidates losing in the subsequent by-polls as well as the MLC elections."

However, the Huzurabad by-poll had given the taste to the ruling TRS on how BJP could turn the tide against it with the right candidate. The BJP state leadership find that the ruling TRS has used its money, and muscle power, and resorted to large-scale misuse of official machinery to defeat former finance minister Etala Rajender. However, the ruling party's view that none of the opposition parties in the State could convince people in their favour against the TRS and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had completely gone awry.

The Huzurabad was a repeat of the Dubbaka by-poll in which the BJP proved its metal that it could convince people against the TRS. Particularly, the ruling party had to take the Huzurabad by-poll outcome seriously as people turned its expectations upside down despite deploying every resource at its disposal to win the election. It is a clear indicator that TRS is no longer an unsurmountable forte as it used to be during its first tenure. The review of party status vis a vis TRS in different districts points out that the saffron brigade has already gained traction among people even in the rural areas.

It was further expanded with the first phase of Praja Sangrama Yatra. However, "the impatient TRS in all possibility would try to confront the BJP creating hurdles to the second phase of Praja Sangrama Yatra in the name of Centre's refusal to procure paddy from Telangana. In turn, this would clearly draw the battle lines between the two. Besides, this would further strengthen the BJP as the only alternative to the TRS in Telangana. And, "it would definitely define the BJP's further course of action in the run up to the State Assembly elections," said a party senior leader.