BJP's Rs 5 Hyderabad poll rally: Will Modi help snatch Cong's votes?

If there’s anything that ratcheted more controversy than Narendra Modi’s puppy remark in recent times, it had to be the ‘Rs 5 Hyderabad rally’. The rally, planned by the BJP back in the day when Andhra Pradesh was one state, shot to instant stardom not only because of its chief speaker but because the organisers decided to charge Rs 5 from everyone who wanted to hear Modi speak. It took the political circles by a storm of brickbats and counter jibes. While Congress minister Manish Tewari tweeted that by putting a five rupees price on his speech, the BJP has given out the true worth of its much celebrated leader, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman explained that this was a noble attempt to garner funds for charity. [caption id=“attachment_1002393” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Violence preceding the formation of Telangana was intense. AFP[/caption] The famed rally is finally set to take place in Hyderabad today with Narendra Modi already voicing his excitement on Twitter. Modi tweeted:Given that the Congress beat the BJP in swooping up support from the Telangana quarters and the opposition didn’t also see it coming this soon, Modi is expected to work his charm is biting into the Congress’ currently safe vote-bank in divided Andhra Pradesh. The New Indian Express reports that Modi is expected to explain and reiterate his party’s position on small state demands and possibly also try and expose flaws in the Congress’ approach to the division of states. A report says:

Modi is also expected to explain to the audience how committed his party is to smaller states and cite creation of three states during the NDA regime. He is likely to reiterate his opposition to Hyderabad remaining as joint capital for the two states since it is not on the border but is situated deep inside Telangana.

CNN IBN reports that the BJP has been pulling out the plugs to make sure Narendra Modi’s maiden Hyderabad address is an overwhelming success. From aggressive Twitter publicity to live streaming that party has been trying to make sure that Modi’s speech hits all the right notes in a strife-torn Hyderabad at the moment. CNN IBN quotes BJP MP Venkaiah Naidu:

“Modi has chosen Hyderabad for his meeting and several issues that are local and attached to people’s sentiments will also be spoken about.”

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The rally, named Navabharat Yuva Bheri keeping in mind Modi’s target audience, will also be used by the BJP as a plank to rile the youth from the Seemandhra region. While the BJP itself was for the division of Andhra Pradesh and has repeatedly and vocally backed the demand for a separate Telangana, the party will try its best to cash in on the widespread anger seething in people from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. How the party will pander to both supporters of Telangana and those opposed to it has been left entirely to the politicking talents of Modi - the party’s poll beacon at the moment. What would probably work in Modi’s favour here is the fact that it was the youth who propelled the Telangana movement and the youth who opposed it - it is a section of the society Modi has a fair amount of sway on. The BJP will be hoping that the Gujarat CM comes up with a middle path which a divided Andhra Pradesh is compelled enough to embrace. Or better still, he is able to convince the youth from both the regions that Congress’ motives are not in the best interests of the state. If there is one person who can hijack the Telangana agenda successfully from the Congress, it is the Gujarat CM. Hyderabad BJP leader G Kishan Reddy has already sounded out an appeal to the youth to come and listen to Narendra Modi in the form of a YouTube video which has been tweeted out by the Gujarat CM.