Even as the Congress and the BRS are still holding preparatory meetings for Lok Sabha polls, the Telangana BJP has started a massive outreach programme before the consecration of the Ram Temple with its leaders and functionaries visiting every temple and household distributing “Akshintalu ” (rice coated with saffron/turmeric) from Ayodhya and urging every household to light five diyas on 22 January.

The saffron party is hoping to ride the Ram Temple wave and snatch a record number of seats in Telangana in the upcoming elections. BJP MP and president of the party’s OBC Morcha K Laxman on Friday began the outreach programme in Hyderabad from the Hanuman Temple at Chikkadpally. He also distributed Akshintalu among several households in Musheerabad constituency and invited the people to go for the darshan of the newly constructed temple and idol after 22 January.

Party functionaries and volunteers would similarly visit every temple in the state and distribute Akshintalu among the households and urge them to light diyas as well as visit Ram Lalla after the consecration ceremony. Extending an invitation to the people, Laxman said, “22 January should be celebrated in every temple in the state. We are also requesting every household to light five diyas to mark the consecration of Ram Lalla.”

Even during the recently concluded assembly elections, both the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had referred to the consecration of the Ram Mandir while urging people to vote for the BJP. Shah had even promised that if a BJP government was installed in Telangana, it would arrange a visit to the Ram Mandir free of cost.

The BJP went on to win eight seats in the assembly elections though none of its sitting MPs managed to win an assembly segment in their own constituencies. The BJP won 4 seats in the 2019 elections riding the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP believes the Ram Mandir will be a game changer in addition to the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The distribution of Akshintalu and the lighting of diyas in every household are aimed at whipping up the same sentiment as in 1989 when funds and bricks inscribed with “Shri Ram” were collected from all over the country for the shilanyas by kar sevaks. After the consecration ceremony on 22 January, the BJP will also arrange visits to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya for the electorate.

While Telangana has a sizable minority population that is likely to vote for the Congress, the saffron party is ensuring a large chunk of the vote from the majority community goes into its kitty.