BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay is now a happy man. His month-long yatra mainly in the undivided Mahabubnagar is a success by any standards. He has covered several villages, mandals and assembly constituencies during this phase of the yatra. Unlike the first phase, which mainly focused on mobilizing the party workers, the second phase was dedicated to outreach and explaining of the party’s ideology.
According to sources close to Bandi Sanjay, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him up on Sunday to congratulate him on the success of the yatra. He is said to have complimented him on the huge success of the public meeting at Tukkuguda, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah was the chief speaker. Modi also reportedly discussed the political situation in Telangana.
Interestingly, the second phase of the Praja Sangrama Yatra was an out-and-out Bandi Sanjay show. Most of the key leaders of the party such as union minister Kishan Reddy, D Aravind, Indrasen Reddy and Dr Laxman kept away from the yatra. It was entirely managed by Bandi Sanjay’s close-knit team of young workers. The financial resources for the yatra too were mobilized by this team.
Interestingly, Bandi Sanjay managed to strike a good relationship with national vice-president DK Aruna, who has deftly managed the yatra in her home turf of Mahabubnagar. Similarly, AP Jitender Reddy too chipped in with useful support. The complete confidence reposed on Bandi Sanjay by both Modi and Amit Shah was all too visible during the yatra. As a result, Bandi Sanjay has emerged stronger with the second phase of the yatra.