In a controversial statement, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Danam Nagender threatened voters, saying that only those who support BRS will be given two-bedroom houses (2 BHK) under the state’s housing scheme for the poor. The legislator, who represents the Khairtabad constituency, even went so far as to say that he would “demolish” the houses of whoever would not support him or the BRS.
“They (those who do not support the party) will not get houses. "Even if they construct it I will get it demolished. I'll see to it that it gets demolished….We can only help those who work for our party. People who publicly protested and embarrassed the party, I will make sure their houses are demolished,” Nagender can be seen saying in a video of his meeting. While BRS leaders did not react to his statement, they confirmed that he had said this a week ago during a meeting in his constituency. Nagender is also a former cabinet minister in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh’s Congress government.
It is not the first time Nagender has been caught uttering brash statements. In 2020, a video of him reportedly abusing bank officials went viral. According to a TNIE report, Nagender and one of his associates were sentenced to six months of simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 1,000 each after they were found guilty in an assault case dating back to 2013. The Khairatabad MLA has also been renominated for the seat in the upcoming polls.
The latest episode of Nagender is likely to hurt BRS, which is banking on government schemes to win the upcoming Telangana election that is scheduled to be held on November 30. The BRS supremo has announced 115 names out of 119 Assembly seats, much before other parties. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will contest from the Kamareddy and Gajwel seats. Both the Congress and BJP have yet to announce their candidates. The BRS had won 88 out of 119 seats in the previous polls. The Congress won 19.
The BJP could win only in one constituency – Goshamahal. Moreover, after the 2018 polls, 12 Congress MLAs first defected to the BRS, and the two TDP MLAs eventually followed suit.