G. Kishan Reddy. | Photo Credit: G. RAMAKRISHNA
Telangana BJP president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy asserted that five years is sufficient to bring down the current Congress government though it took 10 years to defeat the previous BRS regime under ex-Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
“We have no plans to dethrone the Congress government and we are not at all involved in it. But, it could crumble by itself due to internal contradictions for which we cannot be held responsible. We are going to wait for four-and-a-half years by which time we expect to strengthen our party and make an effort to come to power,” he explained.
Participating in the ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by the Telangana Working Journalists Union here on May 5, Mr. Kishan Reddy dismissed BRS leaders’ campaign about Hyderabad being made into a Union Territory and accused them of having nightmares after losing power. “There is no such thought and there is no such discussion anywhere,” he asserted.
The BJP chief objected to the campaign being carried out by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy against the party and said those holding the CM’s position should maintain better decorum and decency in public utterances.
“He (CM) seems unnerved by the growing support for us and is, therefore, trying to show some bravado. But, people are laughing at his accusation about our party removing quota for the marginalised sections and are disgusted with his ‘donkey egg’ campaign. How can Mr. Revanth Reddy say that after ₹9.5 lakh crore funds were disbursed to the State in the last 10 years? Even after Mr. Modi has vowed to continue reservations, he is continuing his tirade against us,” he complained.
B.R. Ambedkar was against religion-based quota and pointed out that the Modi government is giving 10% quota to the economically weaker sections sans any religious discrimination. To another question, he said there is no question of an alliance with the “corrupt, arrogant, dictatorial” BRS party and the latter winning or losing one seat won’t make any difference to the country during the LS polls.
The BJP leader claimed that there is a tsunami-like under-current in favour of the BJP and Prime Minister Modi “like never before” and hence, he is sure of winning majority of seats in the State because of the “corruption-free, decisive leadership and strong government free from dynastic rule, communal riots and terrorism”.
Arguing that political parties should seek votes based on the work done when in power, he called for a debate on the country’s progress and development after Mr. Modi took over in 2014 and under the previous Congress-led governments prior to that since Independence.