BJP brass thinks it’s T-time now

BJP has already launched its movement against the TRS, accusing KCR of dishing out "the Nizam moment." It has dug up enough 'proof' of KCR's love for the Nizam. It will also rake up corruption charges and misuse of central funds. In the case of AP, it just seems to be biding time, but "What applies to Telangana also applies to Andhra Pradesh”

The BJP's southern roll-out has begun. The party's top leadership eyeing the southern pie for long has got its act together finally. After adding to the AIADMK conundrum in Tamil Nadu, seemingly gaining a lot of ground in Karnataka and increasing its vote share in Kerala, it is now T-time for the party.

Telangana is crucial to its south-bound plans and it presumes that TRS would “crumble under its weight” as it had absorbed the flotsam and jetsam of the Opposition – both of the wreckage and jettisoned variety. However, it is not banking on this factor alone in taking on its arch-rival in the new-born baby state of the Indian union. BJP's 'Operation TRS' is a multipronged, multi-ranged and multi-dimensional exercise.

This political operation is a carefully planned and well-orchestrated move against the ruling party in the State. The BJP national leadership more than welcomed the move of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's announcement to go ahead with his plans to provide reservations to the Muslim minorities on socio-economic ground.

The party aims at projecting the move as not just communal or as a minority appeasement policy but as a "continuation of Razaakar policy.” It has already launched its movement against the TRS in the State on the announcement and accused the CM of dishing out "the Nizam moment." If one treats this as light talk, they would be wrong in presuming so, for, the BJP national leadership has dug up enough 'proof' of KCR's love for the Nizam.

The party has carefully studied all the statements of KCR in the past two years to arrive at the conclusion that the Chief Minister is 'pro-Nizamiyat' and it sees this issue as having the required potential to attack him in the public domain.

Whether the TRS really is planning a polarisation of the Muslim vote with its proposal to peg the reservations to the community at 12 per cent or not, the BJP is sure of garnering the majority opinion in its favour by raking up the issue. The BJP, though, has had a problem all the while with its local leadership which it found wanting in rising up to the occasion.

Several times in the past it rued the lack of 'enthusiasm' among its State leaders to impact the politics of the State in favour of the BJP. After much prodding and patiently waiting for the "honeymoon phase to be over,' it has now given a goaded its leadership to plunge into action "relentlessly" beginning with the reservations issue.

It is equipping itself with much more padding apart from KCR's views on Nizam rule in taking on the State government. For example, it will now campaign more vigorously on the reluctance of the TRS government in declaring September 17 as the ‘Independence Day of Hyderabad State.’ If KCR has its 'Delhi plans,' the BJP has laid out its own 'gully plans' for Telangana.

It is not going to bother about 'lack of effective local leadership' as in the process of building up a movement against KCR's "pro-Razaakar plans," as it plans to term it now, people could identify with their own leaders. The party has compiled the 'inflammatory speeches' of KCR as evidence of his 'pro-Nizam' speeches which the BJP would like to project not just as a communal overtone but anti-Hindu and perhaps, anti-national even.

There is another aspect that it is not going to ignore. The party is "equipping itself with all evidence" against KCR and other TRS leaders on corruption charges. The party feels this one would be a sure bet as the charges that stuck in case of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the past would also be applicable to the present rulers. "Same irrigation projects, same contractor and same puppeteers.

Nothing has changed much. Hence, the practices should also be the same. So what is good for the goose should also be so for the gander" is the observation here in the national capital. No one is open on the question of 'options' that are being mulled, but a pertinent observation in this regard is: "Cases are pending already in the courts we believe.

One could always dig up more evidence. Eh?" is how the sources put it. Surmise as you want. But, this should give enough indication to the ruling TRS and its top leadership on the intentions of the BJP leadership on how all it could trouble it. It is intriguing to note the confidence with which the BJP leadership asserts, "there is corruption and a lot of it and we do not spare it.”

It may be recalled that the BJP president, Amit Shah, has already targeted the TRS government as the "most corrupt government" in the country in the past. He based his argument on two issues – one is the irrigation projects taken up by the government in the past two years, and, the second, related to Central funds.

In this regard, he argued that Central funds had been diverted by KCR to buy the legislators from the Opposition in a big way. "We could also resort to poaching if we feel like. But, we do not do it. If some legislator or leader is against the corruption and other malpractices of the government and wants to fight the same by coming out of the TRS embrace, how could we say no to them?

After all, cleansing India from the corruption is the major target of the BJP rule and one of the most important agenda on our slate. We are not for luring rival leaders into our folder. But, if someone likes Modi's rule and wants to be part of the force dedicated to steer the country towards the ‘Naya India’ goals, there should be no hesitation in welcoming those,” the sources admit.

The TRS should be warned of a covert operation if not an overt one in this regard. Finally, an innocuous issue of 'student-day-politics' also could come in handy for the BJP to target the TRS leaders. "Made up of what? The TRS leadership? Of naxals and naxal sympathisers? Why should such anti-nationals be spared? If one is lacking in nationalism or is pronouncedly anti-national or hobnobbing with such anti-national forces should one be lenient?" the sources assert.

Such is the fight that the TRS would be facing in future in the State in retaining its supremacy. If it is simple and plain politics, KCR knows how to take on the Goliath. KCR is no underdog or novice in this game. But, despite all his vile and guile, whether he would be able to maintain his trust-quotient and his people's connect in the face of this multi-pronged attack is to be seen.

As for Andhra Pradesh, the BJP leadership is playing its game with utmost discretion. There is neither any hurry nor an immediate necessity "as of now" to break away from the TDP for it. It is waiting for a clear picture to emerge as to the strengths of the AP players and perhaps new comers.

"What applies to Telangana also applies to Andhra Pradesh. When we want to take on someone we do so with full force, but not with a weak heart or a meek commitment. Just wait and watch," the sources say. As for Telangana, the dirty game has begun! The Goliath has its armour and javeline and the David, his staff and sling. Who will be the slayer?