Munugode battle: BJP to switch to campaign mode after August 21

HYDERABAD: After Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy’s resignation as an MLA, the BJP is viewing the now inevitable byelection to Munugode Assembly segment as a high-stakes contest.The saffron brigade, which has been upbeat after winning the Huzurabad bypoll, is viewing the Munugode battle as another stepping stone in its mission to capture power in Telangana.

The BJP is planning to focus all its energies in launching an election campaigning after August 21, the day Rajagopal Reddy is scheduled to join the saffron bandwagon in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The strategy being adopted by BJP is not very different from what it did during the Huzurabad byelection. As the first political outfit to be battle ready with its candidate finalised, the party is planning to activate its local booth committees, Shakti Kendras and village-level party workers to go on a door-to-door campaign.
The party will be assigning a State leader as the constituency’s in-charge and it also name some leaders as in-charges of every mandal in the constituency.

Focus on BCs

As the BCs form 80 per cent of voters in the constituency, the party has planned to attract those voters as well as those from the SC and Reddy communities who play a crucial role in deciding the winner. Meanwhile, ‘Operation Lotus’ has been gaining momentum, as the latest to join the negotiation was Tollywood actress Jayasudha, who served as a Congress MLA from Secunderabad between 2009 and 2014.

Though she has not yet confirmed the date on which she will be joining the BJP, she informed the media that she has put up her own wish-list to don the saffron robes. There were also reports of former Sheep and Meat Development Corporation Chairman Kanneboina Rajaiah Yadav, Narsapur Municipal Chairman Murali Yadav and Errabelli Pradeep Rao joining the party.