HYDERABAD: Describing Telangana BJP leaders as students of “WhatsApp University”, TRS working president and IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday said that the saffron party netas were more active on social media than in society.
In an informal chat with reporters at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao said that despite the petty politics being played by the BJP, the TRS candidate would win the Dubbaka Assembly bypoll to be held on November 3 with a thumping majority.
“In the general elections, the TRS candidate secured a majority of over 62,000 votes. This time, the TRS will improve its majority considerably. The TRS will retain the seat. The BJP and Congress candidates would not even retain their deposits,” Rama Rao said.
The TRS working president said that the BJP state leaders were resorting to a campaign of vilification in the byelection for the sake of sensationalism. The BJP leaders have reached a stage where they are ready to teach a lesson or two to Goebbels, Rama Rao said. He, however, said that the Dubbaka voters were very politically conscious and could easily see through the BJP’s gameplan.
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On the recent seizure of cash from the the house of a relative of Dubbaka BJP candidate M Raghunandana Rao, Rama Rao said that the BJP leaders had always claimed that it was the BJP government’s money that was used in the construction of toilets, 2BHK houses and other schemes. But when the cash was seized from the house of the BJP candidate’s relative, they were denying it was their money. He said that some women were seen in the videos counting the cash and saying that it was meant for distribution in the by-election.
Rama Rao also objected to the language being used by BJP leaders. “They should stop using foul language. If the TRS leaders too started in the same manner, they would not even spare the Prime Minister,” he said. He, however, said that Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy was talking in a dignified manner. “The BJP state leaders should learn from Kishan Reddy. Or Kishan Reddy should control them,” he said.
He recalled that when the Opposition leaders were targeting Narendra Modi in the Assembly, it was Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who controlled them and requested them to give respect to the Prime Minister. “Do not test our patience. We will give a fitting reply at an appropriate time,” Rama Rao said, referring to the BJP leaders. He said that the Opposition leaders too should respect the institution of the Chief Minister and behave in a dignified manner in their criticism.
Rama Rao said that the Congress camp was emptied right from Delhi to Galli. “So many leaders are looking towards different parties. Some may join TRS, others may join other parties. In fact, several leaders are expected to join TRS from the Congress and BJP,” he said.
