Telangana BJP MP Eatala Rajender, who sought a position in the Union Cabinet, is anticipated to assume the role of President of the party’s state unit in an upcoming appointment.
Following his election to the Lok Sabha from Malkajgiri constituency in the recent elections, Rajender has been summoned to New Delhi by senior party leadership. He is expected to confer with Union Minister and prominent party figure Amit Shah later today.
Meanwhile, G Kishan Reddy, the current BJP state President, was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister on Sunday. Having been re-elected from Secunderabad constituency, he previously served in the Cabinet.
MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar from Karimnagar took oath as Minister of State during the same ceremony.
Despite Rajender and two other MPs being strong contenders for Cabinet positions, the BJP opted for Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, citing their longstanding affiliation with the party and loyalty.
Rajender joined the BJP in 2021 after resigning from TRS (now BRS) following his removal from the Cabinet amidst allegations of land encroachment. He subsequently won a by-election as MLA from Huzurabad before contesting and winning the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat with a significant margin of over 3.91 lakh votes, the highest among BJP MPs in the state.
Should he be appointed BJP state chief, Rajender would succeed Kishan Reddy, who has held the position since July of the previous year. Kishan Reddy assumed additional responsibilities after Bandi Sanjay was ousted as party President due to internal dissent.
Rajender, known for his organizational acumen and hailing from the Backward Class community, is considered an apt choice to bolster BJP’s prospects ahead of the next Assembly elections in Telangana.
In the recent elections, BJP under Kishan Reddy’s leadership made significant gains, increasing its tally in the 119-member Assembly to eight seats from just one in 2018. The party also doubled its representation in the Lok Sabha and improved its vote share to 35 percent.
With the elections concluded, BJP leadership aims to appoint a full-time state President to fortify the organization in Telangana. Rajender’s potential elevation underscores the party’s strategy to consolidate its base and prepare for future electoral challenges.
During the campaign, BJP pledged to appoint a Chief Minister from the Backward Classes if elected to power, a commitment highlighted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the ‘OBC Atma Gaurava Sabha’ in Hyderabad.
