BJP in two minds on Huzurnagar bypoll

Hyderabad: State BJP leaders are brainstorming over contesting the Huzurnagar byelection. As per the suggestions of some senior leaders, the party’s core committee decided to drop the idea of contesting, fearing that a defeat could have a cascading negative impact on the ensuing municipal elections.

The BJP’s candidate secured a meagre 1,500 votes in the December 2018 Assembly elections in the constituency. In the Lok Sabha polls that followed a few months later, the BJP nominee secured only 3,000 votes from the Huzurnagar segment.

Keeping in view the poor performance of the party in the Assembly segment, certain senior party leaders have reportedly suggested that the party should not contest the byelection, and instead concentrate on the ensuing elections to urban local bodies (ULBs).

Sources in the party disclosed that senior leaders are of the view that instead of focusing on the byelection, it would be a better strategy for the party to focus on polls to the ULBs, especially given that BJP’s core voters have mainly been based in the urban areas.

There is another section of leaders within the party which does not want to be seen as running away from the contest or conceding defeat, especially at a time when the party is growing stronger in the state.

Mr N. Ramachandra Rao, MLC and member of the BJP Telangana core committee, said that though some leaders might have opined and advocated dropping off from the contest in Huzurnagar, there is no desire to concede defeat or drop out of the contest.

Sources disclosed that the core committee has examined all probables and shortlisted the names of Ms Srikala Reddy, daughter of Jitender Reddy, former MLA of Kodad; Mr L. Appireddy, an NRI, and three senior BJP leaders from Nalgonda district, Dr Rama Rao, Mr Ashok Naik and Mr S. Ram Reddy, of whom, the party will select one as a candidate.

Sources revealed that keeping in mind the caste and other political factors, Ms Srikala Reddy was the forerunner and the core committee would likely nominate her.

A senior party leader, on condition of anonymity, said that though the winning chances maybe less when compared with the Congress and the ruling TRS in the segment, the party has to improve its position in the segment as well as in the district.

“There has been a lot of change in the political scenario compared with the situation during the Assembly elections in December, 2018. We will certainly put up a good show,” the leader told this newspaper.