The Congress party’s victory in the neighbouring state of Karnataka has had a ripple effect in the Telangana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speculations are rife that Eatala Rajender and Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy will quit the BJP and join the Congress. The rumours gained further credence when Rajagopal Reddy’s brother, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, said that he would make efforts to reach out to the dejected leaders and bring them to the Congress fold. But both the leaders have rejected the speculations.
Former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy also is seemingly unhappy with the BJP. On Friday, May 19, the former MP observed that the BJP was not emerging as a force yet because the party did not arrest Kalvakuntla Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Kavitha is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor scam case.
Another speculation is that there is a growing demand within the party to replace Bandi Sanjay, the Telangana BJP president, with Eatala Rajender. While Eatala, who was with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now named Bharat Rashtra Samithi – BRS), joined the BJP in 2021 after being removed from the cabinet, Rajagopal, a sitting MLA from Munugode, joined the BJP last year after resigning from the Congress. According to reports, both these leaders are finding it difficult to work under the leadership of Bandi Sanjay, who comes from an RSS background and is inclined to take the Hindutva plank to gain ground in Telangana. Some of Eatala’s supporters have even suggested to him that he quit the BJP and float his own party if the BJP does not make him the president.
Denying rumours of his exit from the BJP, Eatala on Thursday said the reports were false. “I strongly oppose the misleading information that was published today in some newspapers. Telangana’s 4 crore people want KCR’s dictatorial rule to end. Only the BJP, led by Hon'ble PM @narendramodi Ji, Hon'ble Party President @JPNadda Ji and Hon'ble Home Minister @AmitShah ji would be able to do this.”
“The BJP leaders in the state of Telangana are united and constantly strive to proudly form BJP’s government in Telangana. It is not my practice to switch parties, and it is inappropriate to publish such news without consulting me,” Eatala shared on Twitter.
I strongly oppose the misleading information that was published today in some newspapers. Telangana's 4 crore people want KCR's dictatorial rule to end. Only the #BJP, led by Hon'ble PM @narendramodi Ji, Hon'ble Party President @JPNadda Ji and Hon'ble Home Minister @AmitShah ji,
— Eatala Rajender (@Eatala_Rajender) May 18, 2023
In the meanwhile, former BJP national president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly had an interaction with Eatala regarding the party’s strategy for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections. The state will likely go to polls in December.
Similarly, Rajagopal Reddy addressing the media said, “I have never made any such comments in the past six months. I have publicly stressed that I was joining the BJP solely because I wanted to bring down the KCR government. I have made this statement repeatedly.” He, however, admitted that there have been appeals from Congress leaders to return to the party. Rajagopal Reddy had quit the Congress party owing to his differences with Telangana Congress president Revanth Reddy. After quitting the party and resigning as MLA, he lost the bye-election in Munugode, which he contested as a BJP candidate.
Meanwhile, amid these political developments, Revanth Reddy has invited all the dissidents to rejoin the Congress party, and said that if they have any differences with him, they could sort it out with national president Mallikarjun Kharge.