Bandi Sanjay likens MLC elections to India-Pak cricket rivalry
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Synopsis
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar drew a controversial comparison between the BJP-Congress MLC elections in Telangana and an India-Pakistan cricket match, igniting backlash from the ruling party, which accused him of promoting communal tensions.
Key Takeaways
- Bandi Sanjay Kumar compared the MLC elections to an India-Pakistan cricket match.
- The BJP aims to win against the Congress in the upcoming elections.
- Criticism arose from the Congress party regarding this comparison.
- Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy campaigned for the Congress candidate.
- The contest will be significant as BRS has not fielded candidates.
Hyderabad, Feb 25 (NationPress) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday likened the showdown between the BJP and the Congress in the Telangana MLC elections to an India-Pakistan cricket match, which incited anger from the ruling party, accusing him of stirring up communal tensions.
The BJP leader portrayed his party as the Indian team and the Congress as the Pakistani team. He forecasted that, similar to India’s victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy match, the BJP would triumph over the Congress in the elections on February 27 for three MLC seats from graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies.
“India signifies josh. BJP signifies josh. Just as the Indian team met the expectations of cricket fans by winning, the BJP will also meet the aspirations of graduates and teachers by winning the MLC elections,” he stated to the media in Karimnagar.
“Another match will unfold on February 27. We are the Indian team, while they (Congress) are the Pakistani team. Voters need to contemplate and make their choice. If you desire India to triumph, vote for us. If you wish for Pakistan to win, vote for them,” Bandi Sanjay expressed.
“In the cricket match, India outplayed Pakistan. Allow the BJP the chance to deliver a significant defeat to the Congress in this political match on February 27,” he urged the electorate.
Bandi Sanjay, a Lok Sabha member from Karimnagar, mocked Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for conducting three public meetings on Monday to support the Congress candidate. He noted that no chief minister has ever campaigned in an MLC election.
“In all three meetings, the Chief Minister mentioned that the victory or loss of the Congress candidate would not affect them. This itself reveals that he has conceded defeat,” he commented.
Revanth Reddy addressed public meetings in Nizamabad, Mancherial, and Karimnagar on Monday to rally support for the Congress candidate for the election to the Karimnagar-Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad graduates constituency.
Both national parties are engaged in a direct contest for this seat as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has not put forward a candidate.
The BJP has also announced its candidates for the elections to the other two MLC seats – Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers’ constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has criticized Bandi Sanjay Kumar for equating the MLC elections with an India-Pakistan cricket match.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud stated that it is a long-standing practice of BJP leaders to gain advantage in every election by inciting communal tensions.
He questioned how one could compare elections to a cricket match.
“In the match held in Dubai, India was victorious. All Indians rejoiced. We followed the match and celebrated. He speaks as if BJP leaders secured the win for India. How can you juxtapose cricket with politics? Cricket is a sport. Winning and losing are normal. Sometimes we win, sometimes they win. This is merely for enjoyment. Bringing cricket into politics for advantage is disgraceful,” he remarked.
