Saffron party picks Dr N Gautam Rao for Hyd’bad LAC MLC polls
Hyderabad: BJP Telangana State Vice President Shri Chintala Ramachandra Reddy said the BJP has officially announced its candidate for the ensuing Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency (LAC) MLC elections on April 23.
Addressing the media on Friday, he said that the candidate selection process was conducted under the leadership of former MLC and Local Body Election Convener N Ramchander Rao following directives from the central leadership. Consultations took place with party corporators, city presidents, and senior leaders from the area.
On Friday, Union Minister and BJP Telangana State President Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay, and Rajya Sabha member Dr K Laxman convened to discuss and finalise the candidate selection for reporting back to the party. As a result of these discussions, Dr N Gautam Rao was officially announced as the BJP candidate for the Hyderabad Local Body MLC elections.
Approximately 117 voters will participate in this election, which includes 84 corporator candidates, 15 MLAs, four MPs, two Rajya Sabha members, and two MLCs.
Ramchandra Reddy said that Dr Gautam Rao has been actively involved in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) since its inception and has worked diligently to address student issues. He has dedicated 30 years to the ABVP and the past 15 years to the BJP, serving as the organisational secretary for Bhagyanagara and the Hyderabad Central District President.
Reddy also emphasised that the BJP has consistently opposed the anti-people actions of the MIM party, which has historically used religion as a political platform. The MIM has a reputation for aligning itself with whichever party is in power in the state.
The Congress party is known to support the MIM, engaging in what is described as appeasement politics. He recalled that the building which served as a fire service station during Nizam’s rule later became the center of Darussalam, due to the Congress’ backing of the MIM. In 1978, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Marri Chenna Reddy imposed a three-day curfew in Hyderabad following the rape of a woman named Ramizabi.
During this period, the MIM leveraged the Darussalam property case as a bargaining tool to have the curfew lifted. Under pressure from the MIM, the government eventually withdrew the case. During PV Narasimha Rao’s tenure, the MIM publicly endorsed the Congress party and advocated for the expansion of Deccan Medical College from 100 feet to 150 feet.
There are records of the MIM party engaging in various irregularities through coercive practices, he alleged.
In the last three MLC elections, the Congress party only contested in the Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Medak graduate constituencies and withdrew from competing in the other two. Despite the Chief Minister and other ministers campaigning in areas like Karimnagar, Mancherial, and Nizamabad, the people favoured the BJP, resulting in victories for the party in two MLC seats. Reddy mentioned that the Congress is not contesting the Hyderabad Local Body MLC elections due to fear of the MIM party. Additionally, the BRS party appears hesitant to run against the MIM due to concerns about appeasement politics. Recently, the Waqf Board Amendment Bill was debated in the Rajya Sabha. Introduced under Narendra Modi’s leadership, it was passed to allocate Waqf properties to economically disadvantaged Muslims among minority groups.
Telangana BJP MPs played a crucial role in passing this bill and have been instrumental in significant decisions, including the abrogation of Article 370, the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and the abolition of triple talaq. These accomplishments are viewed as significant achievements for the people of Telangana.
He said that the BJP is urging everyone to unite against the communal Majlis Party and support the BJP’s commitment to combating parties that engage in vote-seeking tactics through religious polarisation in the upcoming Hyderabad Local Body MLC elections on April 23.