Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar today accused Union minister Bandi Sanjay of making irresponsible political statements solely to bolster the BJP's presence in Telangana.
He demanded that Sanjay issue an unconditional apology for his criticism of the late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Speaking at a media briefing at Gandhi Bhavan, Prabhakar refuted Sanjay's claim that funding for Telangana would be halted if Indira Gandhi's name was associated with the Union government's housing scheme.
Prabhakar said that the BJP lacked a solid foothold in Telangana, and attributed the party's eight Lok Sabha seats to mere chance. He characterized Sanjay's remarks as desperate attempts to ensure the BJP's survival in the State.
"The BJP is not practicing politics based on respect or principles. The Congress has never disparaged veteran BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani. Despite the criticisms directed at Indira Gandhi, the BJP will continue to fall short in the State," Prabhakar said.