Hyderabad: After a gap of 18 years, the BJP has been holding the party's national executive committee meeting in Hyderabad. Now, after tasting the fruit of success in Maharashtra, the saffron party wants to consolidate its position in southern states, especially Telangana where the election is due next year. Among the southern states that are after Karnataka, BJP is in a better position to move forward strategically in Telangana to strengthen the party's base.
Hence, preparations for the 48 hours of brain-storming session have been over and 300 BJP leaders out of 345 have arrived in Hyderabad for the political jamboree. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to turn up at the venue International Convention Centre by the evening. BJP national president JP Nadda descended on the venue at around 10 am. He went inside ducking questions fielded by the reporters. Although, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari gave a reply to media queries at the venue. Almost all senior BJP leaders preferred to keep mum and didn't say anything about the political get-together.
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BJP's holding of the meeting at Hyderabad has gained much more significance because the saffron party wants to give a message to its adversaries--Telangana Chief Minister KCR and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi-- that the party's southern caravan has been set in motion. Besides, it is learnt that Hyderabad will be a gateway for BJP for making inroads to southern states because political data suggested that except for Telangana, the saffron party's representation to the Lok Sabha from four states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka is almost zero, said sources. The party added four Lok Sabha seats to its kitty from Telangana during the last general elections, added the source.
Apart from this, the BJP gained significantly during the Hyderabad civic body elections, besides the party's vote share in urban areas has also increased. Therefore, the party wants to consolidate its position in the Lok Sabha constituencies in urban areas. Now, the saffron party has been trying to wrest control over all the 90 Lok Sabha seats spread to four states such as Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
It was also presumed that the saffron party's purpose for holding the meeting in Hyderabad has been the city's cosmopolitan nature. People belonging to various states stay in Hyderabad, and their votes can influence political parties' victory during elections. Keeping this in mind, several BJP leaders belonging to different states have been given instructions by the party top brass to interact with voters of their states.
