BJP’s poll move: Kishan Reddy likely to replace Bandi Sanjay in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Speculations are rife that the Central BJP leadership is considering a change of guard for the post of Telangana BJP President. According to sources, the BJP leadership is contemplating replacing State President Bandi Sanjay Kumar with Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy. The decision comes after a series of meetings between the party leadership and senior leaders from the State.

In the run-up to the general elections in 2024, the BJP is said to be replacing several of the State presidents with Union ministers hailing from that respective State. When it comes to Telangana, Kishan Reddy, who comes with a lot of experience, is being seen as the right person to lead the party into elections. He was the party president from 2010 to 2014 in undivided Andhra Pradesh and from 2014 to 2016 in Telangana. The party leadership reportedly believes that since Kishan Reddy has a good rapport with all the leaders and commands respect among party cadres, he can carry all the leaders along.

The BJP central leadership is also planning to make Eatala Rajender the chairman of the party election committee and accommodate Sanjay in the Union Cabinet. They are still to decide on whether Kishan Reddy should be made full-time State president or allow him to continue as Union minister with the additional responsibility of the party president.

However, it is learnt that Kishan Reddy is not so keen in taking the responsibility because it will be very difficult to prepare the party for the upcoming Assembly polls in such a short duration. The Assembly elections in Telangana are likely anytime after October this year.

Meanwhile, Telangana BJP incharge Tarun Chugh said that the party leadership was yet to take any decision with regard to replacing Bandi Sanjay and that reports about change of leadership in Telangana were false.

“We have clarified in the past too that the BJP had no intention to replace Sanjay, but some people are still carrying out malicious campaign,” he said.

Responding to media reports on the party’s plan to replace him with Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay said that he had no information about it. “I am not aware of such developments. Whatever party leadership decides, I am ready to abide by it,” he said.