Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outburst against the TRS government and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao is being seen by the TRS as an attempt to save the dejected BJP leadership from looking elsewhere than sticking to the party after the Munugode byelection loss.
The BJP has now realised that it can win only if the candidates can gain sympathy for various reasons and not on their own strength. Dubbak and Huzurabad victories were not because of the party’s strength but sympathy generated by the candidates. Munugode has, however, proved that even a candidate with some background cannot win the party an election, Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy opined.
Mr. Reddy said Prime Minister Modi confined himself to inaugurating the developmental works in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and did not make any political comments. But a few hours later in Hyderabad, he showed his frustration borne out of Munugode defeat resorting to objectionable personal criticism. “So the outburst of the Prime Minister against the TRS government at his meeting with the party workers in Hyderabad was also to apply some balm to the hurt egos and the dejection set among the party leaders and workers,” he argued.
Mr. Jagadish Reddy, who as the District Minister took up the responsibility on behalf of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in the Munugode elections, said the BJP is clearly worried about the outcome as it could not shatter people’s confidence in the Chief Minister despite its best efforts. “I was confident from the word go as I was working on the ground though some of my colleagues that it would be a tough fight. The election proved KCR is the undisputed leader of Telangana and his challengers have a long way to go.”
The Minister said lack of decency from Prime Minister Modi and his team in continuously trying to tarnish the image of the TRS government and the Chief Minister has hurt the people of Telangana. That was one of the factors that contributed to the TRS’ success. Unfortunately, political criticism is being taken over by personal attacks, which the people will not accept, he said.
