With the main opposition Congress rocked by the defection of 12 party MLAs and TDP pushed to the margins, the BJP is making aggressive efforts to emerge as the alternative to the ruling TRS in Telangana.
BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who launched the party's membership drive in Telangana here on Saturday, asked the party cadres to enrol 18 lakh additional members to the existing 18 lakh as the basis for strengthening the party in the state.
Though it could win only one of the total 119 seats in the Assembly elections held in December last year, the BJP is upbeat about its prospects in Telangana after bagging four of the 17 constituencies in recent Lok Sabha elections. In terms of vote share, the party secured about 20% votes in the LokSabha polls.
Shah, who held a meeting with key state leaders Saturday night after kicking off the membership campaign, is understood to have told them that 20% vote share meant the party is near power in the state.