Hyderabad: The BJP high command has been treading cautiously on its decision for a change of guard in Telangana. There are many contenders lobbying for the post. The party’s state unit will sees a change after BJP national president JP Nadda’s term ends this month.
The names which are prominently being heard in the party’s circles are that of the present state president of BJP and union minister of coal and mines G Kishan Reddy, union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay, Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender, Mahabubnagar MP DK Aruna, Medak MP M Raghunandan Rao, and BJP Madhya Pradesh in-charge P Muralidhar Rao.
Kishan Reddy has been riding high on the results of both the assembly and Lok Sabha results in the state that technically happened under his leadership, fetching the party 8 MLA and 8 MPs. As he is just an year into his role, there is talk that he could be allowed to complete his term, and someone else could be brought into the position to steer the party in the next assembly elections in 2028.
According to party insiders, Bandi Sanjay, who had played a key role in giving a fillip to the party as the former state president has submitted that he was willing to take up the role only if he was allowed to complete two terms as the state president.
“It is known that BJP state president has three-year term. After that, the reconstitution of the committees starts from the booth-level, and goes on to village, mandal, district and state levels. After the constitution of the committees they elect the state president. However, that hasn’t happened lately. So, unless this entire process needs to take place, or it will happen at the wishes of Union home minister Amit Shah,” said a senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity.
By winning the Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha seat, BJP vice-president DK Aruna too has entered the competition. Even before the assembly elections, she had expressed before the media that there was nothing wrong in aspiring for the top-post.
On the other hand, Muralidhar Rao has proved his mettle in Madhya Pradesh Lok Sabha elections, where the party has bagged all 29 parliamentary segments in the state. Though Telangana is a different ball-game altogether, his name is also being heard in the party circles. Medak MP Raghunandan Rao, who hails from the same community as the former’s, is also in the fray.
BJP MP Eatala Rajender too has raised speculations when he met Amit Shah in Delhi before the announcement of cabinet ministries in the new government. Sources say that he has been banking on the BC chief minister’s assurance made by the party high command before the assembly elections.
If the party decides to abide by its commitment of a “BC CM” for Telangana as its policy position, it needs to be seen how the pawns would be shuffled again, as there are also the names of Nizamabad MP D Arvind and Bandi Sanjay which may come to picture.
Though the party leaders admit that the decision is taken at the highest level with Amit Shah playing a decisive role, it needs to be seen who will bite the bullet this time around. Who knows, some lucky man like MP Laxman may suddenly be given a crucial role, on BC quota, or Modi quota, a few in the saffron party’s state unit wonder.
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