HYDERABAD: The Telangana unit of the BJP is poised for a major reshuffle as the party high command has decided to effect significant changes in leadership. A decision to this effect was taken during the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Monday, sources said.
A formal announcement is expected sooner than later, they said. Speculations are rife that BJP high command has chosen Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy to head the party in Telangana, replacing Bandi Sanjay, who is likely to be accommodated in the Union Cabinet as a Minister of State (MoS).
The proposed changes include appointing the “joinings committee” chairman, Eatala Rajender, as the election committee chairman, while BJP national vice-president DK Aruna would serve as the campaign committee chairperson, the sources said.
They further stated that the decision followed extensive discussions among party leaders, including Kishan Reddy, Dr K Laxman, Sanjay, Rajender, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Aruna, and other key figures in the state unit. Dubbak MLA M Raghunandan Rao visited Delhi earlier in the day, purportedly to request the high command to make him the State unit chief or, at least, the floor leader in the Assembly, or name him the party’s national spokesperson.
Shah, Nadda discuss TS situation with Modi
Raghunandan Rao’s visit to Delhi fueled rumours that a change in the BJP State unit is more or less certain and also triggered talks that the party leadership has decided to induct one or two MPs from Telangana in the Union Cabinet as MoS.
Dissident leaders within the party have been demanding a change in State leadership and proposed the appointment of Eatala Rajender or any other senior leader as the BJP Telangana president. Top BJP leaders, including JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the party’s situation in the State. Sources suggest that the RSS was not inclined to change the leadership or appoint a fresh face as the State unit chief.
Over the past four months, uncertainty has clouded the Telangana BJP due to demands from dissident leaders and a lack of new entrants since the party’s defeat in Karnataka at the hands of the Congress. The fact that suspended BRS leaders chose to join the Congress further exacerbated the situation in the saffron party. In light of these developments, the BJP high command opted to appoint a new State president ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, as this could revitalise the state unit, the sources said.
Raghu rants, denies later
Dubbak MLA M Raghunandan Rao on Monday accused the BJP of not giving him due recognition in spite of 10 years of hard work