BJP's Telangana unit chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday offered prayers at the Bhagyalakshmi temple abutting the historic Charminar in Hyderabad on Sunday on the 'successful' completion of the first phase of his 'Praja Sangrama Padyatra'. Sanjay, who had launched the padyatra from the same temple on August 28, offered thanksgiving prayers to the deity. Talking to reporters, he said with the blessings of the goddess and prayers of people, he completed the first leg of his walkathon without any hurdle. He exuded confidence that the BJP will win the Huzurabad Assembly bye-election.
The MP from Karimnagar on Saturday completed the first phase of the padyatra at Husnabad with a public meeting addressed by Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare Smriti Irani. After 36 days, the walkathon ended at Husnabad and not the original choice of Huzurabad due to the election code of conduct for the bye-poll scheduled for October 30. BJP plans a padyatra in four phases till the 2023 elections. The BJP leader covered about 438 km during the first phase and addressed 35 public meetings. The padyatra covered 19 Assembly and six parliamentary constituencies in eight districts including Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy, Sircilla and Siddipet.
Several central leaders of the BJP addressed the meetings organized as part of the padyatra. Bandi Sanjay had also addressed the public meeting organized by the party at Nirmal on September 17 where Union Minister Amit Shah was the chief guest. Though the public meeting was not part of the padyatra, Shah mentioned about the walkathon and sought people's support for Bandi Sanjay's efforts to expose the TRS government's various acts of omissions and commissions.
During the padyatra, the BJP state chief interacted with people, heard the grievances of various sections and promised to help get them resolved. He slammed Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for not fulfilling the promises made before the elections. Bandi Sanjay also targeted TRS for what he called its 'surrender' to Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). He alleged that the steering of that car (the election symbol of TRS) is in the hands of MIM. The BJP MP also promised that if voted to power in the state in 2023, BJP will bring a population control legislation like the one planned to be introduced in Uttar Pradesh.