Bandi Sanjay pushes ‘saffron surge’, hits out at Cong & BRS

Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar launched a sharp attack on Congress and BRS leadership while asserting the BJP’s growing strength in Telangana. Flanked by senior leaders, including State BJP chief N Ramachander Rao, BJPLP Leader in the State Assembly Aleti Maheshwar Reddy, and BJP senior leader and National Co-incharge for Tamil Nadu Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Bandi Sanjay addressed the media on Friday. Though the Jubilee Hills by-poll results are disappointing, he declared that the BJP will hoist the saffron flag in Telangana by 2028.

Mocking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BRS working president and MLA K T Rama Rao (KTR) as “iron legs,” he said, “Rahul Gandhi is now limited to playing PUBG games, and KTR has led BRS into decline since taking charge.” He ridiculed BRS for claiming to be the state’s alternative despite losing key seats like Cantonment and Jubilee Hills.

Referring to the Bihar elections, Sanjay hailed the NDA’s sweeping victory of over 200 seats as a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He accused Congress of spreading falsehoods and claimed that voters chose development over deception. “Congress contested 60 seats and won only 5. It’s no longer a national partyit’s a regional one,” he said.

Sanjay alleged that minority consolidation led to the Congress’s win in Jubilee Hills and vowed to unite Hindus to counterbalance future elections. He warned that the Congress’s six guarantees would remain unfulfilled and accused the party of using money and liquor to win votes.

He also criticised BRS for failing to act as a responsible opposition, stating that its leaders were “confined to farmhouses” and absent from public discourse. “BRS didn’t contest MLC elections and lost sitting seats. How can it claim to be an alternative?” he asked.

N Ramachander Rao echoed Sanjay’s sentiments, stating that the Congress’s win in Jubilee Hills was aided by AIMIM and the misuse of power. He emphasised that the BJP respects the verdict but believes the win was not truly the Congress’s.

Aleti Maheshwar Reddy accused Congress of blackmailing voters and claimed that the Chief Minister threatened to halt welfare schemes if Congress wasn’t supported. He demanded that defected MLAs resign and face by-elections to uphold democratic values.

The BJP announced plans to counter the Congress’s “Praja Paalana Day” on December 7 with its own protest titled “Congress Public Betrayal Day.” Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to development through a double-engine government and promised to showcase the BJP’s strength in the upcoming local body elections.