Rama Krishna Sangem
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy who was appointed as BJP’s Telangana unit president on July 4 made it clear a day later that he was not unhappy over the decision of the party high command. “There is no truth in the news that I am not happy or sulking with the decision to make me the BJP state unit president,” he said, while addressing a media conference at the BJP office in Delhi on July 5, Wednesday.
Interestingly, Kishan Reddy who dashed off to Delhi on Tuesday night on receiving his appointment news did not attend the union cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi on Wednesday. The reason Kishan Reddy gave for this is that he is unwell, so he couldn’t go to the Cabinet meet. There were reports that he had submitted his resignation from the Cabinet on Tuesday night itself, on his appointment to the party post.
PM Modi is likely to rejig his Cabinet team in a few days, ahead of Parliament monsoon session that begins July 20. The PM is likely to forward all resignation letters, long with that of Reddy, together to the President just at the time of the new ministers’ swearing in ceremony. “Otherwise, there is no reason why Kishan Reddy who is in Delhi to skip the Cabinet meeting on health grounds,” said a senior BJP leader in Hyderabad talking to Excel India.
Rumblings loud and noisy
Unusually, rumblings of discontent over removal of Bandi Sanjay as BJP Telangana unit president were loud and noisy on Wednesday. Most of Sanjay followers suspect Kishan Reddy’s appointment is an attempt by BJP national leadership to get closer to ruling BRS chief CM KCR in Telangana. “Otherwise, why should a hard working Sanjay should be removed from the post ahead of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections?” asked a BJP activist on social media.
On the other hand, a section of BJP feels that it is not a right decision on the part of BJP top brass to remove an OBC leader (Sanjay, belongs to Munnuru Kapu, BC community) and bring in a Reddy, forward caste person to the post. “After all Sanjay, through his aggression and hyperactive working style has enthused the party cadre in the last three years,” said another BJP supporter on the social media.
Now it is the job of Kishan Reddy to take along all sections in the party and put a united fight against the ruling BRS. He voiced conference that BJP will come to power in Telangana in the assembly elections slated to be held later this year. But, a lot needs to be done to achieve this goal. Elevation of senior legislator and former minister Etela Rajender as party poll management panel will help Kishan Reddy to reach out to BC sections in the party.
