HYDERABAD: Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s rise to the top position of BJP state unit, though on the cards for quite some time now, came as a surprise for some.
This is because he beat the incumbent K Laxman who has been a formidable force in fighting both the TRS and the AIMIM. Sanjay Kumar, an unassuming leader, has remained a silent worker all through.
Born on July 11, 1971, he completed his secondary schooling at Sri Saraswathi Shishu Mandir in Karimnagar in 1986.
He was active in the RSS since his formative days, joining the Hindu outfit at the age of 12. He later obtained his Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Madurai Kamaraj University in Tamil Nadu in 2014.
He was involved in ABVP activities as well as those of the RSS student wing, and eventually became town president and a State executive member of the organisation.
He was also involved in the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the BJPs youth wing, and occupied leadership positions in the organisation, holding posts of town secretary, town president and in-charge of Tamil Nadu in 1996.
When veteran leader LK Advani took out Suraj Rath Yatra for 35 days, he shouldered the responsibility of ensuring seamless functioning of Advani’s juggernaut.
In 2005, he was elected a municipal corporator for 48th division of Karimnagar Municipal Corporation, and served in this role until he resigned in 2019, after his election to the Lok Sabha.
The party fielded him in Karimnagar in 2014 and 2018 Assembly elections, but he could not win the poll battles. In 2019, the BJP fielded him from the Karimnagar LS seat against incumbent TRS MP B Vinod Kumar and former Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar and he went on to beat the duo to clinch the seat.
His election was considered something of a surprise due to the BJP’s prior lack of significant strength in Telangana, as well as the fact that both his opponents were politically well-established.
With his election to the Lok Sabha, Sanjay Kumar became a giant-killer and one of the four BJP MPs from Telangana, a historic first for the party.
In addition to being an MP, Sanjay also served as a spokesperson for the Telangana State unit of the BJP and now he has stepped into the new position to lead the party in the State.
Laxman, meanwhile, exhibited sportive spirit by congratulating Sanjay and wished him success in his new role.
He also thanked the party for reposing faith in him by entrusting him with leading the party in Telangana. BJP’s chief spokesperson in Telangana, K Krishna Saagar Rao, also welcomed the appointment of Sanjay and wished him all success.
When Bandi ensured historic first victory
BJP fielded him in Karimnagar in 2014 and 2018 Assembly elections, but he could not win the poll battles. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP fielded him in Karimnagar against incumbent TRS MP B Vinod Kumar and former Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar and he went on to clinch the seat.
His election was considered something of a surprise due to the BJP’s prior lack of significant strength in Telangana, as well as the fact that both his opponents were politically well-established. Sanjay Kumar became a giant-killer and one of the four BJP MPs from the State, a historic first for the party.