HYDERABAD: The state BJP headquarters buzzed with activity with supporters of Naraparaju Ramchander Rao swarming the premises soon after the news broke that the party high command had appointed him as the new BJP state president.
Celebrations erupted when Ramchander Rao arrived to file his nomination papers. His supporters hailed his appointment as a sign of the party returning to its roots — a reclamation of ideological rigour and legal acumen at a time when the party is facing organisational challenges.
The streets leading to the party office quickly became gridlocked with vehicles, a testament to the significance of the occasion.
Top BJP leaders, including Union Minister and outgoing state president G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, and several MLAs and MPs, arrived at the party office.
A sense of camaraderie was evident among BC leaders, with figures like MP Dharmapuri Aravind and Payal Shankar making an appearance.
Yet, amid the chorus of affirmations, there was a curious absence — Eatela Rajender. Though he was in the city, he was nowhere to be seen at the office.
As shawls were draped and celebrations reached a crescendo, another development soured the mood. Firebrand MLA Raja Singh, regarded by his supporters as a worthy leader to head the party, made a dramatic entrance, sending ripples through the crowd as he announced his resignation from the party.
Voice raw with emotion, Singh accused the leadership of denying him the basic right to file his nomination for the state presidency. “I’ve given everything to this party. I’ve fought on the streets, been jailed, even lived under threat from terrorists,” he declared, his words laced with bitterness.
As the dust settled, only one nomination had been submitted. Yet, the party chose to announce the result on July 1 at a grand function.