Chief Minister Rao has always relied on the regional sentiments to counter the BJP’s narrative of nationalism and Hindutva in Telangana. Even in the 2018 Assembly elections when the BJP was still at third position and the Congress was the key Opposition party, Rao raised the issue of Telangana pride to counter them.
He was successful, particularly due to the presence of TDP chief and the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu who had joined hands with the Congress. Rao had repeatedly cautioned the people about the danger of handing over the political power to “Andhra rulers” if the Congress won in the state.
This time too, Rao is hoping to cash in the Telangana pride as the Assembly elections are drawing near with the long drawn celebrations and said this would be “organised in a festive atmosphere with the aspirations of the Telangana community so that the glory of Telangana spreads to every corner and every heart is filled with excitement.”
It will also help him to counter the BJP which is exceedingly relying on the Hindutva to garner votes in Telangana although the state is not communally polarised except some pockets like Bhainsa. The BJP is holding Hindu Ekta Yatra at Karimnagar, the constituency of BJP MP and state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar with the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Guest.
KCR as Rao is popularly known, has taken a leaf out of NT Rama Rao, the founder of TDP who had appealed successfully to the Telugu pride to beat the mighty Congress in the eighties. Rao had similarly appealed to the regional sentiment while unveiling the huge 162 feet tall statue of Dr BR Ambedkar as well as the newly constructed grand edifice, the Secretariat which he had termed as the symbol of Telangana pride. He will also inaugurate the new Martyrs’ Memorial soon.
The celebrations for the Formation Day will be kicked off by the Chief Minister at the new Secretariat and will spread to district headquarters. The government will also showcase its achievements during the 21-day long celebrations, particularly its irrigation projects and welfare schemes.