BJP likely to replace Kishan with Etala as Telangana unit chief

HYDERABAD: The BJP is expected to name a new party chief for its Telangana unit within a week or two. In fact, incumbent state chief G. Kishan Reddy made an announcement to this extent soon after taking oath as a Union Cabinet minister on Sunday.

The party is most likely to pick a BC candidate considering that the state’s OBC population is around 52 per cent.

Etala Rajendar, who belongs to the powerful Mudiraj community, is reportedly the front runner for the post. Several BC groups voluntarily supported Rajendar in the recent Lok Sabha elections, which he won by an overwhelming four lakh plus majority.

Looking at the social equations in the state, as Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who belongs to another major BC caste – Munnuru Kapu —has been inducted into the Union Cabinet, the BJP leadership has almost cleared the name of Rajendar as the state head.

In fact, Rajendar's name figured in the Union Cabinet list. Many Union ministers like Rajnath Singh and Hardeep Singh Puri had announced during the election campaign that Rajendar would play a key role at the Centre. The sources in BJP state that the pressure from RSS had forced Modi to induct old-timers into the union cabinet.

After the formation of Telangana, leaders with Sangh background have headed the party in the state. As two old-timers from the party from Telangana have been inducted into the Union Cabinet, the party will most likely announce the name of Rajendar, who joined the party three years ago, as the state chief.

Rajendar’s appointment would help the party to attract newcomers to the party. So far, the BJP in Telangana has been headed by three persons and each has a ‘sangh parivar’ background, including Kishan Reddy twice, Dr K. Laxman and Bandi Sanjay.

Highly placed sources in the party said that the BJP central leadership has cleared the name of Rajendar, who has been camping in Delhi meeting top party leaders for the last couple of days. At a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday, he almost got a clear indication from the senior leader.