Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s public rally at Khammam has been postponed in view of the situation arising from cyclone Biporjoy in West Coast. This was disclosed by Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

Shah was slated to visit Khammam to address a public rally to mark the nine years of the Narendra Modi led NDA Government. “Owing to severe cyclonic conditions in the West Coast, especially in the three states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan the proposed public meeting of Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shahji in Khammam on 15 June stands postponed,” said Bandi Sanjay.

He further said that the home minister was “personally monitoring the rescue operations”. However, the Telangana unit of BJP did not set any new date for Shah’s visit, which was to take place at a time when the party was witnessing one of the worst intra-party rivalry between those with hardcore RSS background and the leaders who came into the BJP fold from other political parties.

The differences in the party seemed to have widened, particularly after BJP’s loss in Karnataka where an attempt by the party at polarisation of voters did not work. The lateral entrants in the BJP feel the polarisation strategy won’t work in Telangana either, but Bandi Sanjay Kumar with his RSS background has been clinging to it.

Meanwhile, income tax sleuths on Wednesday raided the properties of three BRS leaders in Telangana for tax evasion but the party dismissed it as pressure tactics to draw leaders towards the BJP.

BRS Medak MP Prabhakar Reddy, Bhongir MLA Sekhar Reddy and Nagar Kurnool MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy were raided by the income tax sleuths. Reacting to the development, BRS spokesperson Krishank said, “There are no takers for BJP, joining committee of BJP failed to get anyone to join the party and there is no traction for Amit Shah’s visit. That is why they have started IT raids on BRS leaders but no one in Telangana is afraid of BJP and its pressure tactics.”