Hyderabad: On the death anniversary of India’s first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on Monday, Telangana State unit BJP President N Ramchander Rao paid floral tributes to Patel by garlanding his portrait at the party’s state office.

Speaking to the media, Rao hailed Patel as the architect of modern India, who unified over 560 princely states. He recalled Patel’s decisive role in integrating Hyderabad State--comprising present-day Telangana, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka--into the Indian Union through Operation Polo, despite the Nizam’s attempts to merge with Pakistan or declare independence. “The reason we proudly call ourselves Indians today is because of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,” Rao said.

Rao criticised the Congress party for “forgetting Patel’s legacy” while glorifying leaders, who, he alleged, undermined the Constitution. He pointed to Indira Gandhi’s Emergency as an example of constitutional violation and accused Congress of weakening institutions like the Election Commission. He also condemned recent remarks by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, alleging they threatened constitutional bodies and showed sympathy toward infiltrators.

“The Constitution has no provision for non-Indians to be on the voter list. BJP is committed to ensuring only genuine Indian citizens are enrolled,” Rao asserted. He highlighted welfare schemes under the Modi government benefiting SCs, STs, BCs, women and minorities, accusing Congress of playing divisive politics based on caste, religion and region.

Rao further claimed the BJP’s growing strength in Telangana’s rural politics, noting that the party has already secured over 600 sarpanch positions and 45,000 ward members in Gram Panchayat elections, compared to 163 seats earlier. He predicted another 300 seats in the upcoming phase, emphasising that rural voters have placed their trust in the BJP.

Rao warned Congress to stop “politics of incitement” and declared that the party is on the verge of political extinction. “The Constitution is safe only when the BJP is in power. The people of India are ready to bury Congress completely,” he said.