BJP is the vaccine that protects, said Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar.
Slamming Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday called the ruling party - Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) - a "virus". The comment comes as KCR, who heads BRS and is known by his initials, inaugurated a party office in Delhi and unveiled the party flag.
Mr Kumar's remark came during the Praja Sangrama Yatra in Karimnagar district.
"BRS is a virus that kills! BJP is the vaccine that protects! Now people will decide what they want," Mr Kumar tweeted with a video of him making the remark.
On December 14, YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) chief YS Sharmila took a dig at KCR and said his BRS party is nothing but "Bandits Rastra Samithi".
Speaking to ANI, Ms Sharmila said, "KCR is a tyrant and dictator. The High Court has again given us permission to do this padayatra reiterating that it is my right. But KCR is using the police department to curb my personal rights. Today, I was not allowed to step out of my house even to go to High Court. Am I under house arrest? I have not been served any notice but there are police everywhere."
On the inauguration of the BRS party office in Delhi, Ms Sharmila said, "It is a joke. The farmers in Telangana have been so neglected that there have been 8,000 suicides in eight years of KCR's rule. There is no crop insurance in Telangana. He promised to waive off farmers' loans but has not done it. Where is the kisan sarkar in Telangana?"
Bharat Rashtra Samithi's office was inaugurated in New Delhi on Wednesday. KCR, his daughter and MLC K Kavitha, and other political leaders participated in the ceremony. The Election Commission has approved the change of name of Telangana Rashtra Samiti to "Bharat Rashtra Samiti", informed KCR's office last week.
KCR launched the Bharat Rashtra Samiti in October, marking the first step towards becoming a national party to counter the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.