All politically parties have their own unique DNA and the BJP’s is in essence “anti-South Indian”, said Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, alleging that there were even attempts to scuttle investments in states down South by direct intervention of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Mr Reddy, who is in Karnataka to campaign for Congress, told reporters here on Sunday, “If any multi-national company tries to invest in any South Indian state, there is a direct call from the PMO to threaten and take the investment away to Gujarat. It is the spillover that we are expected to take.”
Portfolio allocation
He argued that “discrimination” against the South was also evident in the manner in which all key portfolios as well as Constitutional posts are denied to South Indians. “In the BJP mindset, there is no need to give much importance to South Indian leadership. They think nominal representation will do,” he said.
“How many ministers of Cabinet rank are from South India in this government?... President and Vice-President, Speaker or even their party presidents are all from north India,” Mr. Reddy pointed out, arguing that there has always been a better balance whenever Congress is in power. “Discrimination is going on and nobody from the party dares speak up. Anyone growing a little strong is sent home.”
‘Won’t cross 220’
Predicting that the BJP would not cross 220 seats across India, Mr. Reddy said that it wold get “a maximum of 20 seats” out of 131 from South India. “Even if you liberally presume they get 13-14 seats from Karnataka and three to four from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh may be one, there is nothing else coming from the entire South,” he said, listing out states the BJP has already maxed out in 2019. BJP’s own MPs are undercutting each other as they fight Lok Sabha polls now, he added.
“Every medicine has an expirty date irrespective of how good it is... The warranty of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee is over... Watch all his election speeches of 2014, 2019 and all assembly polls in between and what he is speaking now. Tell me if there is any difference between them,” he said.
“If any person believes he is bigger than the sytem, nature will teach a lesson. That is happening here too,” said the Telangana Chief Minister. This election, he said, is all about “whether people want Mr. Modi on the chair or off the chair.” Speaking on the push towards “one nation, one election”, Mr. Reddy said the agenda was really “one nation, one party and one person” and the rest was a charade.
