Shah attacks TRS for forcing early elections in Telangana

BJP president Amit Shah Saturday kicked off the party's campaign for the coming Telangana assembly polls by launching a blistering attack on the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi for forcing early elections and allegedly not fulfilling electoral promises.

Questioning why the TRS brought the elections ahead of schedule, he asked if they did not have the confidence to face the polls in May next year as per the original schedule.

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

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

Attacking the TRS, Shah claimed that the state government was not celebrating September 17 (the day the erstwhile Nizam state had merged with the Indian Union in 1948) officially due to 'fear' of AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen).

He recalled the struggles by the people of Telangana against the Nizam's rule and the 'Razakars" (private militia that had resisted the integration of Hyderabad state into the Dominion of India) who committed atrocities on them.

"The party which cannot officially celebrate the day cannot safeguard the pride of Telangana," he said.

BJP is committed to officially celebrating the day,he said.

Slamming TRS for not making a Dalit a Chief Minister after the formation of Telangana as promised, Shah sought to know if the party was ready to do so after the coming polls.

He lambasted the TRS for promising to provide 12 per cent reservation for minorities and said it would cut the percentage of quotas for STs, SCs and Backward Classes "as the percentage cannot exceed 50 per cent."