AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has dismissed BJP’s claims that the saffron party is all set to form government in Telangana in the next Assembly elections, pointing out that chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao still holds sway over the rest of Telangana and his party represents the regional aspiration of the youngest state.

Owaisi also declined to say whether AIMIM will assist TRS in gaining the majority to secure the posts of mayor and deputy mayor pointing out that the result was still withheld in one of the wards and his party was yet to discuss the matter among themselves.

The AIMIM chief refused to give credit to BJP’s victory in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) saying that the electorate has not handed out a decisive mandate to either BJP or TRS or to AIMIM. He also took a dig at BJP saying that its strike rate of 36 per cent is no where near that of his party, which is a whopping 86 per cent. “Within Hyderabad parliamentary seat we fought in 34 GHMC wards and we have won in 33. But what did BJP do after surgical strikes, Rohingyas, Afghani and all other factors they had campaigned about? They had brought UP’s chief minister and lost three wards and even with union home minister Amit Shah they lost Ghansibazar,” said the Hyderabad MP.

He went on to add the BJP’s victory was only temporary and will withstand the passage of time.

Owaisi also dismissed the claim of BJP leaders that the party is ready to sweep in the next Assembly election. Describing K Chandrasekhar Rao as a sagacious leader he said: “GHMC is definitely a part of Telangana but mainland Telangana there is feeling of statehood and regional aspirations there is a different political demography and KCR and his party reflect that aspiration.”

Citing the cases of Nizamabad and Karimnagar which are both represented by BJP MPs but in the towns BJP does not hold the posts of mayor or deputy mayor. “TRS is still a formidable power in mainland Telangana,” said Owaisi.

About West Bengal, Owaisi expressed resentment over charges that he will help BJP to win the state. “We will talk to our leaders and decide. What can I do when leaders from TMC are running to BJP are they asking me before joining. Why are you dragging me to everything?” said Owaisi.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that BJP would have won another 25 seats if not for the State Election Commission which he alleged was acting on the orders of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Apart from winning in 48 seats BJP was placed second in 79 seats and even in the seats won by AIMIM and Congress BJP got more votes than TRS.

BJP has not only increased its seats but also its voting percentage was more than 35 per cent from a meagre 10 per cent in 2016.