Telangana self-respect is our slogan, BJP Rajya Sabha MP K. Laxman

K. Laxman, BJP's OBC Morcha national president, is confident of the party's success in Telangana due to people's dissatisfaction with the ruling family's rule, scams and failed promises. He believes the BJP is the only alternative, with its corruption-free and dynasty-free rule, welfare for all and focus on development.

Rajya Sabha MP and BJP’s OBC Morcha national president K. Laxman was in the thick of action in the past two elections in 2014 and in 2018, when he was the party’s State president. In this exclusive interview with V. Geetanath, he says he is confident of the party putting up a good show this election. Excerpts.

Definitely. In the first two elections, the Telangana emotions and sentiment carried weight and the TRS [now the BRS] got the mandate. But, now the people are fed up with the family rule, scams and failed promises. They are looking for a change and ready to vote out KCR (Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao). There is anti-incumbency and people realise that the BJP is the only alternative. That is because the Congress has the same negative aspects as the BRS, such as dynasty rule and minority appeasement. A vote to the Congress means that only the ruling family will change.

Over 60% of people cannot afford private education or healthcare, and both have been neglected. Everyone remembers the suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, when lakhs of rupees were spent at private hospitals owing to inadequate public healthcare. The Ayushman Bharat medical insurance had not been implemented then. Osmania General Hospital’s fate is unclear and a super-speciality hospital in every district remains on paper. There has been no recruitment of teachers or lecturers. Dalits and BCs were neglected, and not a single examination was held properly, dashing the aspirations of the youth. Taxpayers’ money was misused in the name of irrigation projects.

There is zero tolerance for corruption regardless of who engages in it, and the investigation agencies are on the job. The very fact that the CM’s daughter has not been spared shows the resolve. The [Central] government wants the agencies to work independently. The Prime Minister himself stated that he kept KCR away from the NDAbecause of the corruption.

People strongly believe in Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his corruption-free and dynasty-free rule and welfare for everyone, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. There is no vindictive politics. The country has developed on all fronts and its stature has grown globally, with other countries seeking our support or advice. He has given the confidence — ‘Modi alone can do it’, whether it is GST implementation, Article 370 removal, Triple Talaq Bill or other burning issues that were neglected for decades. Infrastructure has been given impetus, with focus on highways, railways and airways. The poor are the direct beneficiaries of Jan Dhan accounts and our economy has grown to become one of the top five in the world.

Telangana self-respect is our slogan apart from our focus on development and welfare. There are many unsung heroes in the State, whether they are martyrs of the freedom struggle of the nation or of the fight against the Nizam’s rule. We will honour all our martyrs and bring them to the limelight. Hindutva will also be our poll plank, and we will remove quota based on religion as the BCs are being victimised because of it. The poor will get free healthcare and education while tenant farmers will also get welfare benefits. We will build hospitals in each district and have a job calendar on the lines of the UPSC.

The Chief Minister himself talks about weaker sections being the majority in Telangana. But, never have these sections been given their due share, either in politics, education or administration. Even the Congress ignored them when in power. We want to honour the artisans and let them also become lawmakers or decision makers. It is their hard work and effort that created wealth in Telangana.