Congress, BRS not contesting Hyderabad MLC poll to defeat BJP: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad, April 18 (IANS) Union Minister for Coal and Mines and Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy on Friday alleged that the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) are not contesting the MLC election from the Hyderabad local authorities’ constituency with the sole aim of defeating the BJP.

He accused both parties of colluding with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

Addressing a meeting of BJP leaders in connection with the MLC elections, Kishan Reddy said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao have no moral right to criticise the BJP.

He said Rahul Gandhi should tell people why the Congress party, which is in power in Telangana, is not contesting the MLC election. He also wondered why the BRS, which fought the Lok Sabha elections, was staying away from the MLC polls.

“They accused the BJP of being communal, but they have been colluding with the Majlis to help it win MLA and MLC seats,” he said.

The Union Minister remarked that three family-centric parties have come together to defeat the BJP.

Asserting that the BJP is a nationalist party, Kishan Reddy said it alone was fighting against Majlis, which, he alleges, inherits the legacy of ‘Razakars’.

He alleged that when BRS was in power, it focused on the development of only those regions where its leaders had real estate interests.

The BJP leader claimed that industries were coming to Hyderabad and Telangana because of the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Telangana would see rapid development only when the BJP comes to power here.

The election for one seat of the Telangana Legislative Council from the Hyderabad local authorities' constituency is scheduled on April 23.

BJP’s N. Goutham Rao is locked in a direct fight with AIMIM’s Mirza Riyaz Ul Hasan Effendi.

AIMIM, led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, is in a strong position to win the seat.

There are 110 voters for the constituency. The electorate comprises 75 corporators of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 15 Assembly constituencies of Hyderabad district and 35 ex-officio members.

The ex-officio members include 15 MLAs, the Hyderabad and Secunderabad MPs, Rajya Sabha members and MLCs, who have registered their vote in Hyderabad.

The AIMIM has 49 votes, including 40 corporators, seven MLAs, an MP, and an MLC. With the support of 13 voters of Congress, Effendi is confident of winning the election.

BRS and BJP have 25 and 22 votes, respectively.

--IANS

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