BJP’s Raja Singh confident of hat-trick victory from Goshamahal assembly seat in Hyderabad

PTI, Nov 12, 2023, 11:46 AM IST

BRS leader T Raja Singh expressed confidence of winning from the Goshamahal constituency in the city for a third time in the upcoming Telangana assembly elections.

BJP legislator Raja Singh, who is seeking a third term from Goshamahal segment, told PTI that he will score a hat-rick of victory. BRS Goshamahal in charge Nanda Kishore Vyas is pitted against Raja Singh from Goshamahal segment.

Asserting that the BJP will form the government in Telangana after the assembly elections, Singh said the people will bless (elect) the saffron party. Launching a tirade against AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and his MLA brother Akbaruddin Owaisi for neglecting the Muslims of Old City here and their welfare, BJP leader T Raja Singh alleged that the assets of Owaisi brothers have increased.

”Their (AIMIM) influence is confined to only seven seats. Properties of Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother Akbaruddin increased. Only these two brothers are progressing and Muslims are not developing. Because of these two brothers, Muslims of Old City remained backward,” he said. He also accused the Hyderabad MP (Asaduddin Owaisi) of ”selling” the votes of Muslims in Goshamahal constituency to BRS during 2014, 2018 and also in the upcoming Assembly polls. Taking a swipe at BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, the BJP MLA said he has been dreaming of defeating him since 2014.

”KTR if you want to win Goshamahal then you should first win the hearts of people and people are with me. People have blessed me and elected me as MLA in 2014 and 2018 and I am winning from Goshamahal for a third time,” Raja Singh said. Noting that the number of voters belonging to minority community increased in Goshamahal segment, he claimed that they were brought in from neighbouring constituencies. Raja Singh said he will secure minority votes also as the party has been ”serving them since 2014. And I will get full support from Hindus also and I will again become the MLA from Goshamahal for the third time”. Attacking the Congress, the BJP leader alleged that the grand old party failed to fulfill its poll guarantees in Karnataka and people of that state were now ”regretting” electing it. And as far as Telangana is concerned people are not going to be misled by the ”guarantees” of Congress, claimed Raja Singh, whose suspension was revoked last month by the BJP leadership considering his explanation in response to the show cause notice served by the party earlier. In August last year, Raja Singh was suspended from the party following his alleged controversial remarks against ”Islam and Prophet Mohammed” in a video which was later pulled down by the social media platform on which it was uploaded. He was arrested under the Preventive Detention Act. However, the Telangana High Court in November 2022 had set aside the PD Act invoked against him. Later, he was granted bail. Raja Singh is known for his strong views in support of Hindutva. The firebrand Hindutva leader faces several police cases in Hyderabad, including those related to alleged communal offences. Polling for the 119-member Assembly would be held on November 30.