"The BJP threw in the towel in its battle with the BRS at a time when it was growing in strength," she alleged, while interacting with the media.
Published Nov 18, 2023 | 7:33 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 18, 2023 | 7:35 PM
Vijayashanti returned to the Congress on 17 November in the presence of Mallikarjun Kharge. (X)
Actor-politician Vijayashanti, who was made the chief coordinator of the Congress’ Campaign and Planning Committee immediately after joining the party, hauled the BJP over the coals on Saturday, 18 November, for allegedly teaming up with the BRS.
Vijayashanti left the BJP and rejoined the Congress on Friday in the presence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
She said the saffron party belied the expectations of all the Telangana protagonists like her by joining forces with BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao, who was their enemy. “The BJP and the BRS are much of the muchness,” she said.
Interacting with the media at Gandhi Bhavan, she said, “The BJP threw in the towel in its battle with the BRS at a time when it was growing in strength. It dug its own grave by aligning with KCR.”
She explained: “To favour him, the party eased out Bandi Sanjay Kumar — who had infused a new lease of life into the outfit with his vituperative attack on the BRS — from the post of Telangana BJP president.”
Vijayashanti wondered how one could expect her to remain with the BJP, which had betrayed not only those fighting for justice for Telangana but also itself.
“In the beginning, we had hoped that the BJP was really serious about its attack on the BRS. As it is the ruling party at the Centre and as the BJP top brass always level serious corruption allegations against KCR, we thought it would initiate stringent action against him. But the party suddenly capitulated to the BRS,” she said.
The former film actor said that the situation in the BJP was so deplorable now that it was dancing to KCR’s tune.
“KCR has a vice-like grip on the BJP. As one who had fought against KCR for justice for the people of Telangana who had been at the receiving end ever since the formation of the Telangana state, I had quit,” she said, justifying her decision to return to the Congress.
The former parliamentarian described the BJP’s surrender to the BRS as its most serious blunder.
The party lost an opportunity to fight against the BRS by giving up arms. In the process, it had lost the trust of Telangana activists like her.
“I had fought for Telangana state both in and outside Parliament. In fact, I have spent most of my life — about 25 years — in public life. I left the Congress and joined the BJP after the latter promised to have him arrested for indulging in corruption. Though months and years rolled by, the BJP did not take any steps in that direction,” she said.
Vijayashanti insisted that the BJP’s central leaders have foolproof evidence that KCR had resorted to corruption and yet the party was dragging its feet to take action against him. “The party leaders say that KCR had turned Kaleshwaram into an ATM. They accuse him of perpetuating a family rule. They call KCR a thief but they do not take any action,” she said.
She added that the BJP and the BRS were enacting a drama that they were rivals but, in reality, they were working hand in glove. “In the process, the BJP workers, Telangana protagonists, and the people have been fooled,” she said.
