BJP’s Medak candidate and former MLA from Dubbak Madhavaneni Raghunandan Rao (56) is a lawyer by profession who began his political career with TRS, shifted to Congress and later joined the saffron party. He lost the recent Assembly elections, but has pinned his hopes to win the Lok Sabha polls. In this interview, he talks about his chances.
Medak is considered as a stronghold of BRS. How do you plan to breach it?
BRS will be in third place. Since the Congress has come to power, it may be in the second place. I can say this for sure, because former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao himself told a public meeting that there would be minority votes’ polarisation.
Are you banking on Hindutva alone?
The entire country’s agenda is that. How can there be any other election agenda, when majority of people are Hindus? Apart from development, when it comes to religion, KCR himself has been stating that BJP will win if Muslim minority votes do not go to BRS.
But, are not minority votes sizeable in your constituency?
I am not saying we will not have minority votes at all, because there are beneficiaries of Central schemes, including loans for street vendors, Mudra loans for micro-enterprises, Muslim women beneficiaries, and construction of toilets, among others. I also cannot say how much of polarisation will happen because the Modi Government has given loans irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
What are the issues plaguing your constituency?
There has been no comprehensive development in Medak. There are industries on one side and agriculture on the other side. This is leading to problems. Once the Regional Ring Road (RRR) takes shape, there is a plan to shift industries towards Dubbak, Gajwel and Narsapur. There is a need for agro-based industries in this region without harming agriculture.
During your campaign, is it local or national issues that are being talked about?
Both. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already provided funds for developing highways and railways in the area. We will get more roads and railway lines. We need an extension of the railway line up to Ramayampet and Metro rail to Patchancheru - Sangareddy. The Nagulapalli station can be developed as another terminal station for the capital region.
How do you plan to deal with the Congress government, if elected?
That won’t be an issue because the Centre disburses funds for everything. Even the diesel in Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s car is issued by the Centre. Mr. Modi is in power at the Centre and there is no doubt, he will return to power with 400 seats’ majority.
