Telangana minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday took aim at the BJP amid buzz over the name change of Hyderabad to ‘Bhagyanagar’. His sharp attack came as the BJP concluded its national executive meeting in the Telangana capital, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders.
In response to a report by news agency ANI that quoted BJP leader Raghubar Das that Hyderabad’s name will be changed to “Bhagyanagar” if his party comes to power, KT Rama Rao, or KTR as he is also known, tweeted: “Why don’t you change Ahmedabad’s name to Adanibad first? Who is this Jhumla Jeevi by the way? (sic)”
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader’s pushback also came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the city as ‘Bhagyanagar” in his address at a key BJP event.
Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday evening elaborated on the prime minister's comments. "PM Modi said that Hyderabad is Bhagyanagar which is significant for all of us. Sardar Patel kept the foundation of a unified India and now it's BJP's responsibility to carry it further," ANI quoted him as saying.
{{/usCountry}}Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday evening elaborated on the prime minister's comments. "PM Modi said that Hyderabad is Bhagyanagar which is significant for all of us. Sardar Patel kept the foundation of a unified India and now it's BJP's responsibility to carry it further," ANI quoted him as saying.
{{/usCountry}}Rifts have been widening between the BJP and the TRS as the southern state inches closer to voting for the next assembly elections in 2023. Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR as he is known, missed welcoming PM Modi last week for the third time this year.
Several BJP leaders have brought up the Bhagyanagar reference. "Since ancient times, the land of Maa Bhagyalaxmi has been called Bhagyanagar. Fate of Bhagyanagar is about to change, to improve. Telangana is calling for BJP," BJP leader Dinesh Sharma said after day 2 of BJP's national executive meeting at Hyderabad convention centre.
Names of key locations in the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country have been changed in the recent past.
(With inputs from ANI)