The BJP in Telangana emerged stronger after Karimnagar Lok Sabha member Bandi Sanjay took over as BJP president of the Telangana unit in March 2020.
Under Bandi’s leadership BJP shocked ruling TRS with its stupendous performance in Dubbak Assembly bypoll and GHMC polls in 2020-end.
Though senior BJP leaders in Telangana like Bandaru Dattatreya, G Kishan Reddy, Dr K Laxman etc led BJP in Telangana for several year and became union ministers, the BJP did not spread its wings in Telangana. It was just confined as a party of Hyderabad city. There were allegations that these leaders colluded with ruling parties in Telangana for their selfish interests and that’s why they did not allow BJP to grow in Telangana all these years.
However, Bandi changed the situation. He made BJP a strong alternative for TRS in Telangana.
After Bandi belonging from Backward Castes took over, the prominence for BCS in BJP in Telangana has increased.
This reportedly created a rift in the party as Kishan Reddy is not tolerating BC dominance in the party. Bandi supporters allege that Kishan Reddy is cooperating TRS to make Bandi weaker.
The upcoming bypoll for GHMC Lingojiguda division on April 30 exposed differences between Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay.
Kishan Reddy sent a party delegation to Pragathi Bhavan to meet KTR and request him not to field candidate from TRS for the bypoll to pave way for the unanimous election of BJP candidate. Lingojiguda seat fell vacant with the death of BJP corporator Ramesh Goud soon after GHMC polls in December 2020. BJP is fielding Ramesh Goud’s son in his place. KTR immediately agreed and decided not to field TRS candidate.
The BJP delegation met KTR exactly a day before Nagarjunasagar Assembly bypoll on April 17 where TRS, Congress and BJP are fighting a high-pitched battle.
All the newspapers and media carried pictures of BJP leaders meeting KTR on the day of Nagarjunasagar polling prominently which sent a message to voters that TRS and BJP are friendly parties. This angered Bandi Sanjay who alleged sabotage of BJP’s chances in Nagarjunasagar by Kishan Reddy to weaken him and complained to PM Modi, Amit Shah and party national president J P Nadda.
The BJP high command too is learnt to have taken serious view of Kishan Reddy’s decision to send party delegation to meet KTR exactly without consulting party president Bandi Sanjay or anyone a day before Nagarjunasagar polling. It remains to be seen who will win in this cold war in Telangana BJP, where Kishan Reddy or Bandi Sanjay.
