oppn parties Why Has The BJP Upped The Stakes In Hyderabad?

Story Of The Day

Assessee Not Responsible For Ensuring TDS Is Paid To The Government: Delhi HC
OPINIONS : Strongly Expressed

November 21, 2024

People Are Talking About

Rohit Warns Sarfaraz, Police Use It To Warn Two-Wheeler Riders

News Snippets

  • R G Kar rape-murder hearing start in Kolkata's Sealdah court on Monday
  • Calcutta HC rules that a person cannot be indicted for consensual sex after promise of marriage even if he reneges on that promise later
  • Cryptocurrencies jump after Trump's win, Bitcoin goes past $84K while Dogecoin jumps 50%
  • Vistara merges with Air India today
  • GST Council to decide on zero tax on term plans and select health covers in its Dec 21-22 meeting
  • SIP inflows stood at a record Rs 25323cr in October
  • Chess: Chennai GM tournament - Aravindh Chithambaram shares the top spot with two others
  • Asian Champions Trophy hockey for women: India thrash Malaysia 4-0
  • Batteries, chains and screws were among 65 objects found in the stomach of a 14-year-old Hathras boy who died after these objects were removed in a complex surgery at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital
  • India confirms that 'verification patrolling' is on at Demchok and Depsang in Ladakh after disengagement of troops
  • LeT commander and 2 other terrorists killed in Srinagar in a gunbattle with security forces. 4 security personnel injured too.
  • Man arrested in Nagpur for sending hoax emails to the PMO in order to get his book published
  • Adani Power sets a deadline of November 7 for Bangladesh to clear its dues, failing which the company will stop supplying power to the nation
  • Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) ensure India get a lead in the final Test after which Ashwin and Jadeja reduce the visitors to 171 for 9 in the second innings
  • Final Test versus New Zealand: Match evenly poised as NZ are 143 ahead with 1 wicket in hand
Security forces gun down 10 'armed militants' in Manipur's Jiribam district but locals say those killed were village volunteers and claim that 11, and not 10, were killed
oppn parties
Why Has The BJP Upped The Stakes In Hyderabad?

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2020-12-01 15:17:09

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.

Why has the BJP turned the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, voting for which is taking place today, into a high stakes battle? Among other reasons, the main reason is that the party feels that there is a vacuum in the opposition space with the near annihilation of the TDP-Congress combine and that it is best placed to occupy that space. It also feels that KCR's popularity is at its lowest with the euphoria over him being instrumental in getting the state of Telangana created waning after charges of nepotism and corruption being leveled against KCR and his family. Further, the BJP finds Hyderabad a fertile ground for its brand of polarizing politics (with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath even suggesting that the city could be renamed) and such division of votes will help it. Finally, it also thinks that if it makes an impact in Hyderabad, given its recent successes in the countryside, it will be able to consolidate and get the much desired foothold in the southern states. It feels that Telangana offers the best opportunity in this regard.

Hence, a galaxy of BJP leaders ranging from Home minister Amit Shah to UP chief minister Adityanath have been campaigning for the party in these local polls. Asaduddin Owaisi (the undisputed strongman of the city) even took a swipe at the party by challenging it to bring Prime Minister Modi to campaign. All those who campaigned for the BJP made sure that they highlighted the closeness between KCR's party, the TRS with Owaisi's (the undisputed strongman of the city) AIMIM, in order to convince the Hindu voter that KCR is guilty of minority appeasement. This has resulted in these polls becoming the most polarizing ones ever. The BJP might mange to get some traction with its strategy but it remains to be seen what damage it does to the social fabric of the vibrant city of Hyderabad. 

Other Stories You Make Like

Editorials

Turmoil In Mollywood

Turmoil In Mollywood

NDA 3.0: Coalition Dharma

NDA 3.0: Coalition Dharma

In Depth

Supreme Court Gets Strict On Child Pornography

Supreme Court Gets Strict On Child Pornography

Editor's Pick

Budapest Chess Olympiad: India Are World Team Champions

Budapest Chess Olympiad: India Are World Team Champions
© 2014 India Commentary. All rights reserved.