Telangana is going to witness the first-ever Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the next few days as the people of the state are determined to oust the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, hours after offering prayers at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala.

The PM visited the temple at around 8am after reaching Tirumala on Sunday night. “At the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, prayed for the good health, well-being and prosperity of 140 crore Indians,” said Modi on X.

Later in the day, Modi addressed two rallies — at Mahabubabad and Karimnagar — and held a road show in Hyderabad.

Telangana goes to the polls on November 30 in what is a triangular contest between the ruling BRS, the Congress and the BJP. The votes will be counted on December 3.

In Mahabubabad, Modi said the “farmhouse CM” of the BRS was destroying Telangana’s twin identity of tradition and technology and promoting superstitions. “He has wasted precious public money by demolishing the secretariat complex only because of his blind belief in superstitions. Do we need such a farmhouse chief minister?” he asked.

The PM alleged that the BRS had promised water, wealth, and robust policies to the people of Telangana, but had only given them tears, betrayal, and unemployment in return. “It is the responsibility of the BJP to free Telangana of BRS-led corruption, mafia rule and superstition,” he said.

Modi reiterated that the CM desperately tried to ally with the BJP as he had realised the growing support of the people to it. “But Modi can never go against the wishes of the people of Telangana. Now, as the BJP has rejected KCR, he is dejected and indulging in incessant criticism against both the BJP and me,” he said, adding that he would never ally with the corrupt BRS.

The PM said that while it was important to defeat the BRS in the elections, it was equally important for the people to prevent the corrupt Congress from coming to power. “Both the parties have led Telangana to the path of destruction. Both of them follow politics of corruption, appeasement and dynasty rule,” he said.

Modi alleged that the Congress and the BRS were responsible for the lawlessness in the state and had utter contempt for Dalits, tribals and other backward classes (OBCs).

“On the contrary, the BJP is committed to the welfare of the downtrodden sections. It has established a welfare board for the STs, created museums to honour great tribal leaders including Komaram Bheem and Ramji Gond. We have provided scholarships to ST students,” he said.

The Centre had also sought to honour the legacy of Sammakka-Sarakka by establishing a Central Tribal University dedicated in their name. “For the holistic empowerment of the Madiga community, we are establishing a welfare committee to correct the historic injustices,” he said.

If the BJP came to power, the people of Telangana would get cheaper petrol and diesel like in other BJP-governed states, he added.

Addressing a second rally in Karimnagar, Modi said the people of Huzurabad had shown a trailer by defeating the BRS and electing the BJP candidate in the last by-elections held in November 2021. “Now, we are going to show a full-length picture to KCR in the present assembly elections,” he said.

In the Huzurabad bypolls, former state health minister Etela Rajender, who shifted from the BRS to the BJP in 2021, won by a margin of 23,855 votes.

Stating that the next five years would be crucial for the future of Telangana, the PM said by 2029, the state would have completed 15 years. “Like every parent who dreams and guides for a better future for their 10-year-old children, we must also envisage the future of Telangana…For that, there is a need to elect the BJP government in the state. There is a wind of change in the state. The change is inevitable.”

Explaining how the Congress had betrayed its own leaders, Modi said the Congress leadership had disrespected and demeaned former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao (who hailed from Karimnagar) despite his loyalty to the party.

Stating that the BRS government represented deceit and betrayal, the PM said once the BJP government was voted to power in Telangana, a double-engine government would facilitate the development of all.

Going in an open-top van, Modi waved at the massive crowds lined up on either side of the three-kilometre stretch showering petals on him. Union minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy and BJP parliamentary board member K Laxman accompanied the Prime Minister on the van.