'Reddy' Or Not: BJP's New Telangana Chief Has A Powerful To-do Checklist
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G Kishan Reddy’s comeback as BJP Telangana president is being dubbed as a strategic transfer by the social gathering’s excessive command to quell dissenters and produce the outfit again on monitor forward of the essential meeting elections later this yr. The state unit underneath the management of Bandi Sanjay Kumar was making headlines for all of the fallacious causes. A number of senior leaders within the social gathering overtly lashed out at Sanjay for not being a crew participant and, as an alternative, favouring his cohort. Many throughout the social gathering additionally had points together with his capabilities as a pacesetter, saying he was restricted to solely being a firebrand Hindutva icon, which did handle to rattle the KCR-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi authorities on many counts, however did not counter him on different points to construct a powerful anti-BRS sentiment, or for that matter, mount the social gathering’s marketing campaign to curb the Congress’s momentum following its latest Karnataka win.
However, G Kishan Reddy, by advantage of being a seasoned political chief from the area, is believed to have a much better grip on the organisation, each on the state and central ranges. Formed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he has been a grassroots employee who rose by way of the ranks, by changing into the Bharatiya Janata Occasion’s state president in 2010 and finally main it as its first Telangana chief until 2016. He grew to become a first-time Lok Sabha MP from Secunderabad in 2019, earlier than which he was a three-time MLA.
With the change of guard in Telangana, the social gathering’s excessive command believes Reddy’s amicable character, broad community, and tender energy will assist micromanage the native unit. Nevertheless, the BJP’s new Telangana commander-in-chief has an extended to-do record.
1. Lack of candidates
The most important problem for G Kishan Reddy is to fetch and subject winnable candidates in all of the 119 meeting constituencies to tackle the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the now highly-rejuvenated Congress, courtesy of the Karnataka elections. Nevertheless, a number of leaders from the BRS and Congress who have been in regular talks with the BJP backed out owing to variations within the social gathering management amongst many elements. The social gathering suffered an enormous blow when it did not get former BRS MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao who ditched them to affix the Congress. In a bid to set a balancing act, the BJP’s central management has appointed Etela Rajender because the chairman of the election administration committee within the state, successfully bringing in potential candidates from different events. Rajender, a six-time MLA from Huzurabad and an influential chief from the OBC group, is perceived to be an arch-nemesis of BRS chief Ok Chandrashekar Rao owing to their bitter previous.
2. Placate present newcomers and set outlined roles for others
A number of senior leaders and ticket aspirants who joined the BJP lately really feel side-lined and underutilised. A former Congress chief who joined the BJP in 2020 tells that he hasn’t been capable of set up himself within the social gathering attributable to a scarcity of alternatives and inner lobbying.
“I had expressed my need to be the official spokesperson of the social gathering along with taking on extra duties, however there was a scarcity of coordination in any respect ranges. Our proposals aren’t even thought-about by the excessive command. Many individuals are lobbying for a similar place. Hope issues change after Kishan Reddy’s takeover," the chief informed on situation of anonymity
Earlier than Bandi Sanjay’s removing, Dubbaka MLA Raghunandan Rao additionally lashed out on the social gathering for not giving him due recognition regardless of working onerous for 10 years. He had additionally decried the social gathering for neither contemplating him as a candidate for state presidency nor appointing him as a nationwide spokesperson.
Sources point out that Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy can be sad about not being given any management position within the social gathering. For the unversed, it was Raj Gopal Reddy and Etela Rajender who led the banner of revolt towards Bandi Sanjay in New Delhi, however each Kishan Reddy and Etela’s elevation has left Raj Gopal Reddy bitter, in line with sources near him. Whereas the social gathering made an try on Wednesday to placate him by appointing him as a member of the nationwide government committee, sources say he's nonetheless upset at not being picked as a candidate for state presidency.
3. Confusion amongst cadres
Bandi Sanjay’s unexpected removing has garnered combined responses on the bottom together with his core supporters feeling disconnected. A pacesetter near Sanjay’s camp dubbed the transfer a “massive blunder".
“Sanjay managed to construct momentum for the BJP and have become a mass chief, streetfighter, and an icon within the eyes of all karyakartas. He challenged KCR head-on and had a stellar monitor report. Eradicating him simply 4 or 5 months forward of the elections has demotivated the cadres. Not one of the state leaders may create the excitement that Bandi Sanjay managed to do throughout his tenure," he mentioned.
4. Sturdy ballot pitch past Hindutva plank
The Congress’s win in Karnataka has compelled the BJP to rethink its technique for Telangana as Hindutva alone will not be sufficient for the social gathering to construct its narrative towards KCR and even the Congress, which has been as soon as once more counting on corruption as a theme to focus on the chief minister and his household. For the BJP, a bigger a part of its narrative throughout Sanjay’s tenure was restricted to Hindutva and BRS and AIMIM’s pleasant ties, which additionally drew criticism from throughout the social gathering.
“Politics in north and south India are fully completely different. Hindutva alone gained’t fetch us votes as evident by way of Karnataka elections. We'd like stronger themes and welfare schemes to spotlight KCR’s failures," a senior chief informed CNN-.
With Kishan Reddy doubling up as each union minister and state social gathering chief, the BJP feels it would have a greater attain among the many plenty to spotlight the “double-engine sarkar" mannequin together with the achievements of the Narendra Modi authorities prior to now 9 years.
5. Poor and inconsistent electoral efficiency
Electorally, the BJP has by no means been a formidable power in Telangana. In 2014, underneath Reddy’s management, the social gathering gained 5 meeting seats however quickly misplaced its deposits and was diminished to only one seat in 2018. Kishan Reddy had narrowly misplaced to TRS (now BRS) in Amberpet, a constituency he had gained twice over.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the social gathering acquired an enormous fillip when it gained 4 MP seats. Whereas Kishan Reddy managed to win from Secunderabad, the most important headline was the defeat of KCR’s daughter Ok Kavitha in Nizamabad.
Following the appointment of Bandi Sanjay as state chief in March 2020, backed by two bypoll wins and a powerful stint within the Larger Hyderabad Municipal Company (GHMC), the BJP to its credit score has been capable of create a notion of being a powerful challenger to each the BRS and Congress. However analysts say its progress might be short-lived if it fails to get its act collectively.
“Even to this present day, the BJP’s goal is especially the Congress. It needs to copy the West Bengal mannequin right here, however the Karnataka elections have had an affect. That’s why there's additionally a notion that each the BRS and BJP have softened their stand to work on their joint aim of curbing the Congress in Telangana. Kishan Reddy is a suitable face to either side," a political analyst informed CNN-.
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