Akbaruddin Owaisi &Telangana BJP chief booked for GHMC poll campaign remarks; Shah arrives

In the run-up to GHMC polls, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and BJP state unit chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar were booked for their statements during campaigning. The SR Nagar police took suo motu cognisance and registered cases under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code (statements conducing to public mischief).

While Bandi Sanjay Kumar had said that if BJP comes to power, there would be ‘surgical strike’ in the Old City, Akbaruddin Owaisi had said that if BJP and TRS want to take action on illegal encroachments, then AIMIM will act and first remove the memorials of former PM PV Narasimha Rao and former CM NT Rama Rao on Tank Bund.

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Amit Shah in Hyderabad

Home Minister Amit Shah has arrived in Hyderabad and he will first offer prayers at Shri Bhagyalakshmi Temple and then hold a roadshow in Secunderabad. On Saturday, addressing a roadshow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reignited the debate about renaming Hyderabad as 'Bhagyanagar'. Stressing that Bhagyanagar is not a communal name, he opined that it symbolizes 'development'. BJP national President JP Nadda in his rally on Friday highlighted the Modi government's efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and also accused the ruling TRS government of widespread corruption. Nadda also responded to the repeated digs by TRS leaders on high-profile leaders visiting Hyderabad to campaign for the BJP. 

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Campaign for GHMC polls

The poll campaign for the GHMC polls has gone completely communal with TRS, BJP and AIMIM issuing sharp remarks on each other. Emboldened by their victory in Dubbak by-polls and increased vote percentage in the Lok Sabha polls 2019, BJP has appointed a poll team headed by its national general secretary Bhupender Yadav and will be sending its big guns including Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda. 

While BJP alleges that AIMIM has sheltered "Rohingyas, Pakistanis" in Hyderabad and have been winning the polls due to their votes, Owaisi has hit back at Centre accusing them of spreading hate in name of religion. BJP has also claimed that TRS and Congress have a closed-door understanding with Owaisi and a vote to any of them is a vote against the country, Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao's party has dismissed the claims and said that they do not owe an explanation to the saffron party. BJP has also asserted that if voted to power, they will rename Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar and has drawn flak from both AIMIM and TRS. 

READ | GHMC Polls: UP CM Yogi Pitches Renaming Of Hyderabad To 'Bhagyanagar'; Attacks TRS & AIMIM

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