Telangana BJP MLA quits after Ramchander Rao named state chief (Roundup)

Hyderabad, June 30 (IANS) The BJP leadership’s choice of N. Ramchander Rao as the president of the party’s Telangana unit triggered dissent in the saffron camp, as MLA T. Raja Singh resigned from the party on Monday.

Raja Singh, a Hindutva hardliner and three-time MLA, said he sent his resignation to the party’s state president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy as he was not allowed to file a nomination for the post.

Ramchander Rao, a High Court advocate and former Member of Legislative Council (MLC), filed his nomination in the presence of BJP national general secretary Sunil Bansal, Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar and other leaders.

“With blessings and collective strength, I reaffirm my commitment to serve the people of Telangana,” said Rao after submitting his nomination papers to Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje, who is the returning officer.

No other nomination was filed after the Central leadership of the BJP conveyed its choice. The unanimous election of Rao as the state BJP chief will be announced on July 1.

Unhappy over the manner in which the new state president was named, Raja Singh resigned from the primary membership of the party.

The three-time MLA, who is known as a controversial figure, wanted to run for the post of president and was keen to file the nomination.

Raja Singh wrote that the media reports that Ramchander Rao is set to be appointed as the state BJP president came as a shock and disappointment to not just him but lakhs of party workers.

"At a time when the BJP stands at the threshold of forming the first government in Telangana, such a choice raises serious doubts about the direction we are heading," he wrote.

The MLA from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad stated that there are many capable senior leaders, MLAs and MPs who have tirelessly worked for the growth of the BJP and who have the strength, credibility and connect to lead the party forward.

“Unfortunately, it appears that some individuals, driven by personal interests, have misled the central leadership and taken decisions by running the show from behind the curtain. This not only undermines the sacrifices of grassroots workers but risks pushing the party into avoidable setbacks,” he wrote.

Raja Singh made it clear that while he may be stepping away from the party but he remained fully committed to the ideology of Hindutva.

The MLA appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president J. P. Nadda, Amit Shah and B. L. Santosh to ‘reconsider this course’. “Telangana is ready for the BJP, but we must choose the right leadership to honour that opportunity and not let it slip away,” he added.

The BJP on Sunday issued a notification for the election of a new state unit chief.

Several top leaders were seen as front-runners to succeed the current president and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy. They included Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, MPs Arvind Dharmapuri, Eatala Rajender, K. Laxman and D. K. Aruna.

Kishan Reddy was appointed state BJP president ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, replacing Bandi Sanjay. He led the party in the Assembly elections and in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

While the BJP could win just eight seats in the 119-member Assembly, it improved its performance in the Lok Sabha polls to double the tally of seats to eight.

After the BJP retained power at the Centre, Kishan Reddy was re-inducted into the Cabinet. A change in the state leadership has been on the cards for several months.

--IANS

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