BJP leaders show dissent against Bandi with silence over Mynampally episode

Hyderabad:  A single verbal attack against Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao galvanises the entire ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi into giving an immediate befitting response. Any criticism of even Telangana state Congress leadership is witnessing a coordinated and passionate response.

But the Bharatiya Janata Party state president Bandi Sanjay is a lonely man at large within his own party. This lack of an overwhelming support from his own party became apparent when several leaders of the BJP remained silent and aloof over lewd comments and abusive statements of TRS MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao against Bandi Sanjay Kumar three days ago. 

In fact, it is this lack of overwhelming support for Mr Sanjay, and a growing unease over his leadership mettle is the bone of contention within the saffron party. 

As most people will easily recall, three days ago, ruling TRS party MLA  Mynampally  Hanumantha Rao abused Bandi Sanjay after an alleged attack on BJP corporator V. Sravan Kumar at theIndependence Day celebrations at Neredmet.

After Bandi Sanjay flayed the MLA for his hooligan ways,  Mynampally reacted in the most vituperative of words, lashing out using filthy language, claiming he would show his strength to blunt Bandi Sanjay's political work henceforth.

Far from the expected response, the BJP party in the state remained a mute spectator at large, with no senior BJP leader condemning  Mynampally or supporting their own party chief.

Senior leaders including party OBC national Morcha president Dr K Laxman, party national vice president D.K. Aruna, parliamentarians Dharmapuri Arvind and Soyam Bapu Rao, former MLAs, and other senior leaders in the party did not hold any press meet, or even issue stern press releases or statements. 

In fact, BJP sources revealed that most leaders tried to distance themselves from the controversy. In fact, several leaders who were upset with Mr Sanjay's leadership for several months, were happy to find him in the corner, alone.

Only MLA T. Raja Singh and a few corporators addressed the press and condemned the statements of the TRS MLA. Junior leaders and morcha leaders protested against Mynampally's comments and demanded his arrest.

Party sources said senior leaders were asked to address a press meet and counterattack Mynampally but they showed no interest to talk about the issue. One general secretary conceded the infighting, saying leaders maintained distance from Bandi Sanjay Kumar for several months now and it is nothing new for the party.

Senior leaders in the party are discussing how Bandi Sanjay failed to coordinate with the leaders and take everyone along. He plays aloof, does not meet mediapersons and is reluctant to reachout. 

Sanjay, according to another source, does not delegate, share responsibilities or encourage discussions or involving all leaders, especially old loyalists of the party, before planning political programmes or activities. 

A former MPs said that though state president was given several ideas to fight against the ruling TRS or to expose Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for his failures, Mr Sanjay did not respond or act on them.

Several senior leaders expressed dissatisfaction about Bandi Sanjay's working style. He does not take suggestions of former ministers or MLAs, or seek advice to harness their knowledge or experience. They pointed out to different episodes which showed the lack of leadership skills, including the exit of Motkupalli Narasimhulu episode and entry of Eatala Rajender.

Some leaders also pointed out to the bad strategy of Mr Sanjay is not taking Huzurabad seriously, a bypoll which could be a tipping point in Telangana state politics.

Meanwhile, leaders who are in favour of Bandi Sanjay Kumar asserted that they would complain to party president J.P. Nadda about the leaders' behaviour for not even standing up to the party president in public after such unbecoming and scathing comments were made by a rival party legislator.