BJP National Executive Member and MLC N Ramachander Rao today taking charge as president of the party Hyderabad city unit. Though his political ambitions are focused at national and state level, making him to head the city unit reflects party’s growing crisis in the city unit.
Though the party is having five MLAs, one MLC and a union minister, besides extensive cadre base in the city, the party is failing in strengthening its base here. Moreover, as most of leaders are failing to create enthusiasm so that to attract new cadre into the party. This makes the party leadership to attempt an experiment by fielding one of its senior leader for this task.
Till now BJP in this global city was headed by businessmen, not known of having good academic background. That makes the party as a group of `business interests’, failing to reach educated youth, employees, educated elite and many more cream sections of the society.
Being a National Bar Council member and elected to the state legislative council from graduates constituency, Ramachander has exposed well to the `educated class’, besides as a legal professional having extensive contacts with business and political circles.
As already the city BJP was locked in deep rooted factionism and most of leaders were not known of working together. In a frustrated mood, the state leadership said to be brought him as a `non-controversial’ and `neutral’ candidate. In fact, he was a strong contender to become state party president few months ago. But the party national leadership chosen party’s legislature party leader Dr K Lakshman.
But his accessibility with party cadre and his nature of keeping away from existing groups in the party, seems to be main reason for his selection. With several of its MLAs, including union minister Bandaru Dattatreya are refusing even to talk about `failures’ of the TRS government and allegedly acting like `B’ team of the ruling party, a general secretary of the state party admits that it would be a difficult task for Rao to revamp the party structure in the city.
