BJP eyes annihilation of dynasties in Telangana, Andhra as PM Modi sounds poll bugle at Hyderabad meet

With the annihilation of two dynasties in southern Telugu-speaking states in mind, PM Narendra Modi will sound the poll bugle in South India as he attends the BJP's national executive.

The saffron unit launched its campaign in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh this weekend with its senior leadership meeting in Hyderabad for the national executive.

It is understood that after drubbing dynasties in Uttar Pradesh (Yadav clan), Maharashtra (Thackerays), Bihar (Laly Yadav's family), and Punjab (Badals), the party is now hoping to expand in South India. And on the radar are KCR's family in Telangana and the Reddy clan in Andhra.

The national executive of the party is being held in Hyderabad on July 2-3 with an eye on expansion in South India with eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The party has set a target of winning 100 seats in Lok Sabha from the five southern states of the country. The two Telugu-speaking states elect 42 MPs.

The BJP aims to directly target Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and also elicit saffron units' contribution to the formation of the state. KCR has so far enjoyed a virtual free run in state politics, with BJP now playing its cards to emerge as a serious contender in 119 members' Assembly.

While in Andhra the BJP is trying to emerge as the new opposition and aiming to sideline N Chandrababu Naidu and targeting the CM Jaganmohan Reddy directly.

In both these states the BJP is using a strong Hindutva pitch which is going to have a more hard-line approach over the next few months as the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls near, sources said.

A clear roadmap is expected to emerge after PM Modi's address at the national executive. Party chief JP Nadda and other senior leaders are expected to formulate a detailed strategy on party expansion and brief the prime minister on it during the meet, sources said.

The move to secure more seats from South India was prompted after senior leadership felt that the party had reached its saturation point of winning Lok Sabha seats in the North Indian states.