HYDERABAD: DECKS seem to have been cleared for the induction of former Medical and Health Minister Eatala Rajender into the ranks of the BJP after his confabulations for about 45 minutes with party president JP Nadda at Delhi on Monday.
Though Nadda remained non-committal on where he would fit him in the party apparatus and how the party is going to help him in the wake of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao baying for his blood day and night, after the meeting, it became clear that at least the party was in the mood to listen to him with its ears open.
The Mudiraj leader is understood to have promised to land some more TRS fish to fortify the BJP, which is eager to vanquish the TRS in the next Assembly elections in 2013. Already, former MLA Enugu Ravinder Reddy has pledged support to his mentor as he takes his leap of faith into the untested saffron waters. The BJP, in return for embracing Rajender and according importance to him, is seeking his cooperation to poach sitting MLAs or important leaders who are feeling a little suffocated in the TRS habitat.
As Rajender met party State in-charge Tarun Chugh and Nadda on Monday, an impression gained ground that there might be an announcement of his joining the BJP later in the day. Though no such development took place, back channel sources said that Rajender’s plea for importance in the party and the whole-hearted support of all leaders to him in the event of him resigning from the Huzurabad seat and seeking re-election, received a favourable response.
Despite dissent, party welcomes Eatala: Kishan
Already, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that despite dissent over Eatala’s induction into the BJP, which could be sorted out at the party fora, the party welcomed him, and his joining would fortify the party. He said that to defeat the common political enemy CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, all those who are ranged against him should come together and end his “authoritarian” rule.
TS BJP leaders back Eatala
On Monday, before Eatala met Nadda, Tarun Chugh, party State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and party State core committee member G Vivekananda explained to the party chief how Eatala’s entry would infuse new vigour into the ranks. They explained the circumstances that led to Eatala’s dismissal from the Cabinet and how he was being hounded by the TRS government with a series of inquiries into his and his family’ assets. They also talked of his involvement in the Telangana movement and the support he had of the BCs.
BJP non-commital on specifics
A leader who was present when Rajender conferred with Nadda told Express from Delhi that the party president was inclined to the entreaties of Eatala for recognition in the BJP, but was not committal on specifics. He said that the TRS leaders’ allegations against Eatala that he had amassed assets illegally were politically motivated. He also denied the reports that Eatala was joining the BJP to buy protection from the TRS government. Eatala may call on Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. It is widely speculated that Eatala might resign from his membership of the Assembly on Telangana Formation Day on June 2, before officially donning the saffron robes.