Union Minister Anurag Thakur holds roadshow in Owaisi's home turf

Hyderabad, April 25 (IANS) Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday held a roadshow near the historic Charminar here in support of BJP's Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat candidate Madhavi Latha.

Before the roadshow, the Union Minister along with the BJP candidate performed prayers at the Bhagya Laxmi temple abutting the monument.

Scores of BJP workers, holding the party flag and dressed in saffron, participated in the nomination rally of Madhavi Latha.

At Gulzar Houz near Charminar, the Union Minister raised the slogan 'Owaisi ka nahin koi ata-pata, jabse aai Madhavi Latha' and exhorted supporters to repeat after him.

He exuded confidence that the BJP will wrest the constituency from AIMIM, which has been winning the seat for the last 40 years. The Union Minister said that the AIMIM has "done nothing for the development of Hyderabad in 40 years".

He said AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi was missing when the Bill for women's reservation was tabled in the Parliament.

"The time to cut the kite’s string has come. It’s time for Lotus to bloom in Hyderabad," Union Minister Thakur said, referring to the election symbols of AIMIM and BJP.

He also exuded confidence that Madhavi Latha will put a brake on Owaisi’s victory and the AIMIM chief will lose his deposit.

The Union Minister slammed the Congress, claiming that the latter has the "thinking of dividing people in the name of north and south and Hindus and Muslims".

He said that the Narendra Modi government never discriminated against people on the basis of religion, caste or region.

Madhavi Latha later filed her nomination at the office of Hyderabad District Collector.

The BJP candidate is likely to give a tough fight to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who is seeking re-election for the fifth consecutive year.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP office later in the day, Union Minister Thakur said that just like Rahul Gandhi was defeated by a woman in Amethi, Owaisi will be defeated by a woman in Hyderabad.

The AIMIM has never lost an election from Hyderabad since 1984.