BJP working on strengthening base in Telangana: Bandaru Dattatreya

Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Sunday said the party is working on strengthening its base in Telangana and to become an alternative to the ruling TRS.

"We are strengthening the party in the country...and to improve its present strength to a more comfortable level. BJP chief has taken up country-wide tour for this purpose and one of the aim is to increase more number of seats from South," Dattatreya told reporters here.

"In Telangana, BJP won only one Lok Sabha seat (during 2014). Now we can improve our strength. We are trying our best and we will definitely succeed. We have chance to become an alternative (to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi) in Telangana," he said.

Reacting to a query that if BJP was planning to go it alone in 2019 elections in Andhra Pradesh, Dattatreya said "...we cannot say anything now."

BJP is in alliance with the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh.

He, however, said Congress is weak in Andhra Pradesh and added "We can consolidate in AP and there is definitely a possibility of strengthening in Telangana as Congress is divided. We have a base here and we can further strengthen and increase our seats. There is definitely possibility to become alternative in Telangana."

To another query, he said BJP wants to go alone in 2019 general elections in Telangana and will contest 119 assembly seats in the state.