New Telangana BJP president before Amit Shah’s visit

Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command has initiated the process to appoint a new president for its Telangana state wing.

Party general secretary Anil Jain will arrive in the city on February 24 to elicit the opinions of senior leaders before selecting the replacement for Dr K. Laxman.
Sources in the BJP disclosed that Mr Jain will submit a report to the party high command after eliciting the opinion of state leaders.

Dr K. Laxman’s term ended in December 2019. Since then, there have been speculations on whether Dr Laxman will get an extension or there will be a new president.

Party MPs Arvind Dharmapuri and Bandi Sanjay and former minister D.K. Aruna are said to have been lobbying with the party high command in Delhi to get the state BJP chief’s post. Party sources revealed that Mr Bandi Sanjay and Ms D.K. Aruna are the front-runners for the post.

Sources pointed out that the long association of Mr Bandi Sanjay with the RSS will be an advantage to him. Ms D.K. Aruna may stand a chance if the party high command is looking to having a woman leader to head the state wing.

Union home minister Amit Shah is visiting the city on March 15 to address a public meeting at the LB Stadium in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Some party leaders felt that the party will name its new TS unit chief before Mr Shah’s visit.

Some leaders, however, felt that the high command will give Dr Laxman another term.