BJP likely to hold nat’l meet in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: In a renewed bid to dispel a growing notion that the party is going ‘soft’ on BRS and also send a strong signal that only it can oust KCR-led party from power in Telangana, BJP is now planning to organise a national-level meeting of the party in Hyderabad next month.
This will be party’s second big meeting after the national executive committee (NEC) meeting which was held in July last year in Hyderabad.
Party sources said if the meeting indeed takes place as planned, it will give a major boost to the party cadre at the ground level whose morale took a beating after the loss in Karnataka. In all likelihood, the meeting will be held on July 8.
Party sources said the proposed meeting will be the perfect pitch after the NEC meeting which primarily highlighted how Telangana would be the ‘southern gateway’ for BJP.
“After the recent developments within the party, there is a propaganda that we are losing the battle in Telangana. The proposed meeting will put an end to all these theories,” a senior leader of the party said.
Sources said state party presidents, general secretaries and in-charges will participate in the meeting. Union home minister Amit Shah and party national president JP Nadda will attend the proposed meeting.
“Participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be subject to his engagements. Once we get a clarity from PMO, we will know if Modi will attend the meeting,” a leader said.
The party is also planning to organise a public meeting with the top three — Modi, Shah and Nadda — attending it. The venue is yet to be finalised.
In recent times, two planned meetings of Shah (in Khammam) and Modi in Hyderabad have been postponed due to the busy schedules of the two leaders.