Hyderabad: Former state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Friday called on party leaders to stop fighting, rushing to Delhi with complaints, and at least now, work unitedly to defeat the corrupt K. Chandrashekar Rao government.
“At least, let Kishan Reddy work peacefully,” Sanjay said.
The BJP leader from whom Union minister G. Kishan Reddy took charge as the state party chief, had been facing a lot of dissent from some senior party leaders. It was after months of a battle of attrition within the Telangana state BJP ranks that the party high command on July 4 decided to replace Sanjay with Kishan Reddy amidst a slew of complaints against Sanjay by some party leaders.
Sanjay Kumar’s comments came at a meeting of senior party leaders, some perceived to have worked against Sanjay Kumar’s continuation as the state party president, and workers on Friday at the BJP state headquarters after Kishan Reddy took charge formally as the Telangana BJP president.
“Some people complained against me. That is OK. There are some who joined the party to win MLA elections as BJP members under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. All of us are working for the BJP. At least from now, stop lodging false complaints. Do not undermine those who have joined the BJP with faith in its policies, and all the party workers striving to make the BJP strong in the state,” Sanjay said.
“It is not important who the party president is. Bandi is not important. The leader is not important. What is important is the party, and the principles it stands for,” Sanjay Kumar said.
Sanjay Kumar also slipped in a warning of sorts to some party leaders who, he described as “those seeking to make their presence felt on social media.”
Only those, he said, “Who work for the people, are amidst the people will rise. Under Kishan Reddy’s leadership, we will all fight for the principles we believe in. If all of us work together, then BJP can win.”
Promising full support, not just from himself, but also the entire party and those who admire him, Sanjay said “Kishan Reddy is a man who has worked for the party all his life. At least let him work in peace. There is no question of Congress coming to power in Telangana. And if BJP does not come to power in Telangana this time, it will be difficult for the party,” Sanjay Kumar warned.
Addressing Kishan Reddy, Sanjay Kumar said: “The entire party is ready under your leadership to put an end to KCR’s corrupt rule. KCR is afraid of the BJP,
that is why he is having BJP leaders arrested and the entire state has seen how you were arrested yesterday. We will not let Chief Minister KCR get away with his acts. We will not rest until he fulfils all his promises and assurances. We will see the end of KCR’s rule.”
Sanjay Kumar received rousing reception when called to speak with all the leaders who preceded him praising his hard work in making the BJP a force to reckon with in the state. Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, whose by-election campaign in Munugode was overseen by Sanjay, was overcome with emotion when he met Sanjay today. “I could not control myself and went into the rest room and cried,” Rajgopal Reddy said. “I am speaking from my heart, he led the battle in Munugode without compromise. He breathed a new life into the BJP with his Praja Sangrama Yatra and if people today talk about the BJP in Telangana state, it is because of Sanjay Kumar,” he added.
The Karimnagar MP also came for fulsome praise from Prakash Javadekar who said Modi had at least thrice, called on all state BJP presidents to follow
Sanjay’s padayatra model, while Etala Rajendar the party’s Huzurabad MLA said the BJP which was perceived as a party from urban areas, spread to every nook and corner of the state due to Sanjay’s efforts.
Rajya Sabha member Dr K. Laxman said Sanjay’s services for the party will be recognised by the BJP. The others who took note of Sanjay’s effort to strengthen the BJP in Telangana included party national general secretary and state affairs in-charge Tarun Chugh, former national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao, and former chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
