Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said on Tuesday that the Congress needs to change its formula to win elections because the BJP has changed the game of rule and people are not connected to ideology anymore after liberalisation.
He said a combination of holding maximum campaigns by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and seeking votes in the name of Maratha or Gandhi family can help the party win November 20 Maharasthra assembly poll.
"After liberalisation, the formula has changed. It is important to recognise that.
"Looking at the opponent, you need to change your rule. Then only one can win elections," Reddy said at Express Adda, an event of The Indian Express.
The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have made a formula, according to which the Congress has to change the formula, he said.
"How many are connected to ideology after liberalisation? Where is right, left or socialist? "People have stopped thinking right and left. They are thinking emotionally by being attached to ideology," he said, and noted that emotion is different from ideology.
"Today there is more of Swiggy politics, ideological commitment and connection has reduced after liberalisation," he said, adding that even voters' commitment towards the nation is coming down and reorientation is required.
On lessons learnt from Haryana state poll defeat, Reddy said the Congress won Telangana polls as it asked votes in the name of former party president Congress Sonia Gandhi.
"In Haryana, it was Jat versus non-Jat. Had votes been asked in the name of Rahul Gandhi, we would have won," he said, adding the party needs to change the strategy as BJP fights even sarpanch elections in the name of Modi.
It means a brand is required to overcome the local factors, he explained.
"It is the Sangh Parivar versus the Gandhi family. There are only two families. If this perception was created, voters would have decided," he said.
Sharing about the party's performance in the 2024 general elections, Reddy said, "The Congress has to change its format. The Congress party leaders are playing a test match.
"Today, it is 20:20 format. We have to upgrade our format. The BJP is doing hit out and get out politics," the Telangana chief minister said.
He said the BJP's "hit-out and get-out politics" and "20:20 politics" are difficult for the Congress. However, "we need to open a via medium to fight and win elections", he said.
Reddy said the the 2024 parliamentary polls was not a defeat of the BJP.
"It is defeat of Modiji, not the BJP because everything was planned based on Modi's guarantee. People have refused to accept Modi's guarantee. Modi guarantee's warranty is over," he said.
He said Modi has taken support of TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar to form government at the Centre.
On delimitation, the Telangana chief minister said the central government should set up a commission to discuss the issue in detail else will face hurdles.
On lucrativeness of polarised politics in elections, Reddy said, "Those in power need to think about this because divisive politics is not good for the country... How long will the divisive politics be played? Every medicine, howsoever good, has an expiry date," he added.