The TS BJP leadership issue got raked up yet again with party grapevine abuzz about Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region and Secunderabad MP G. Kishan Reddy likely being considered to replace the incumbent and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Thursday.
This was said to have come up for discussion during Home Minister Amit Shah and national president J. P. Nadda meeting with former Minister Eatala Rajender, former MLC Komitireddy Rajgopal Reddy where Mr. Kishan Reddy was also present in Delhi a few days ago.
Party sources insist that there will be no leadership change, but Mr. Rajender may be given ‘some post and whatever formula was worked out will be known only a month as the present month is considered ‘not auspicious’ as per the almanac. Yet, no one is sure about Mr. Rajgopal Reddy’s next political move.
The question was repeatedly posed to Mr. Kishan Reddy when he was addressing the media in the nation’s capital about proposed railway works in TS. He denied any leadership change plan. “There are no such discussions. All the talk is in the media. I had a meeting with Mr. Shah about an official programme related to the 75 years of Independence celebrations,” he claimed.
Mr. Bandi Sanjay Kumar did not bother to duck the question and put the blame on Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. “He is conspiring to disturb other parties but the cadre need not bother. There is a campaign about leadership change for the last one year in some TV channels even after our top leadership has clarified there will no leadership change,” he told media. He also demanded that the government provide protection to Mr. Rajender and arrest those behind the alleged conspiracy to murder him.
Meanwhile Mr. Rajender said he had “people’s protection” and did not fear when the renegade naxalite Nayeem had threatened him. “The Government is responsible for my safety. We had earlier complained to police about raids on us but the police took no action,” he charged and alleged that a special task was given to MLC P. Kaushik Reddy to “harass” him by the BRS leadership.
