Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far reaching remarks that Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao made a vain bid to enter the NDA after the GHMC elections seems to be a last-ditch effort of the BJP to clarify that there is no ‘nexus’ with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Mr. Modi’s remarks come at a time when the party rank and file have been going the extra mile to deny any ‘understanding’ with the BRS. “The talk of BRS-BJP nexus has stuck strongly. The party was determined to change the perception,” a senior BJP leader said and pointed out that time and again the BJP central leadership was appraised of the need to clear the air.
After Mahabubnagar meeting of Mr. Modi, the BJP State leadership had pointed out that the PM’s address was not too critical of the BRS and its leadership. “They urged the central leadership to specifically present the narrative that they were against dynasty rule and corruption, which the BRS has come to be known as,” a senior leader privy to the discussions maintained.
The State BJP leadership was forced to take a step back whenever there was criticism that the Union Government was going soft on BRS MLC K.Kavitha in the Delhi liquor scam. The general perception that Centre was not acting against her because of the tacit understanding between the BRS and BJP was creating uneasiness among the saffron party leaders.
But, sources told The Hindu that Mr. Modi’s specific reference to the Telangana CM’s offer was sometime between 2018 and 2020. Just after the BRS (then TRS) stormed to power for the second time in 2018, Mr.Rao had met the Prime Minister in connection with issues concerning Telangana. “Whether the talk of making KTR the Chief Minister and Mr. Modi’s objection that it is democracy and not kinship cannot be established,” BJP sources maintained.
On the offer of BRS sailing with the NDA too is not clear, according to senior BJP leaders. “In the GHMC elections the margin of victory between BRS (then TRS) and BJP was too narrow. Modi and Amit Shah had realised that the BJP can come to power on its own and started working towards that goal. If at all any attempt was made, it must have come from Mr. Rao alone,” the leader pointed out.
The latest missive from Mr. Modi certainly has ignited the already surcharged political atmosphere in the State in the run up to the Assembly elections, likely to be held in December.
