"BJP will be deciding factor in govt formation in Telangana"

BJP would win a good number of seats in the coming Assembly elections in Telangana and it would be a "deciding factor" in forming the government, BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya claimed here Friday.

BJP would have a big advantage in a triangular contest in the elections among TRS, BJP and anti-BJP parties (Congress, TDP and CPI and others which are in talks to form an alliance), Dattatreya said.

"So, we are hopeful of winning a good number of seats. We are going to be a deciding factor for forming the government. We will play a major role," he told PTI.

BJP president Amit Shah and party's central leaders, including Union Ministers, would campaign for in the state, Dattatreya, a former Union Minister, said.

Ordinary people, particularly youth, are joining BJP in large numbers which is a "good sign" for the party, he said.

BJP had five MLAs in the recently-dissolved 119-member Telangana Legislative Assembly.

The assembly elections in Telangana were originally scheduled to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls next year.

However, the assembly was dissolved earlier this month following a recommendation made by the TRS government.

The BJP president kicked off the party's campaign for the assembly polls by addressing a public meeting at Mahabubnagar last week.