BJP's Big Charge Against Congress After AIMIM Extends Support For Bypoll

The Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi have struck a "Rs 200 crore" secret deal with the AIMIM, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar has alleged, questioning their support for Asaduddin Owaisi's party in Telangana despite facing a contest in the Bihar elections. He has also claimed that the Congress will donate 11 acres of temple land to the AIMIM if it wins the upcoming bypoll in Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad.

Kumar made the allegations at a roadshow for BJP candidate L Deepak Reddy, who is contesting the November 11 bypoll from Jubilee Hills. In a sharp dig, he questioned why the AIMIM was not contesting the bypoll while it aims to defeat the BJP in the rest of the country.

"AIMIM owns the kite, while Congress and BRS hold the thread—they're flying it together. But in Jubilee Hills, the BJP will be the one to cut both threads. If Congress wins, 11 acres of Peddamma Gudi land will be donated to AIMIM. Why isn't AIMIM contesting Jubilee Hills, while in the rest of the country, its whole purpose is to defeat the BJP? Because Congress & BRS already sealed Rs 200 crore deals with them each," Kumar said.

Peddamma Gudi is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi in the Jubilee Hills area.

Calling the Jubilee Hills by-election a "first step toward a new Telangana," the BJP leader appealed to voters in Jubilee Hills to "elect Deepak Reddy and pave the way for transparent governance and true development."

The AIMIM has not fielded any candidate for the bypoll. But Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has appealed to the people to vote for Congress candidate Naveen Yadav to ensure development in the area.

"This is the decision of the party. The current government will stay for at least 2.5-3 years in power, and this by-election will not change anything. When the assembly election takes place in 2028, you will see what AIMIM will do in Jubilee Hills," he said, clarifying that the support is only for the Telangana bypoll.

In Bihar, where state assembly elections will be held next month, the Congress is part of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, while the AIMIM is contesting solo.