I have no reason to ditch BJP at this juncture, says Etela Rajender

HYDERABAD: Putting an end to the speculations of his impending move to quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Huzurabad MLA Etela Rajender reiterated his decision to stick to the national party.

However, he revealed the emotional side of parting ways with the then Telangana Rashtra Samithi now the Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS), saying that he had issues with only the chief of the party K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).

“The day I quit the TRS, even the family members of KCR might have felt bad because I had no trouble with the party. KCR’s family members might not admit but I am sure they felt bad. Actually, I did not quit that party. I was unceremoniously shunted out branding me as a bad influence on society,” an emotional Etela said at a press conference in his residence on Tuesday.

He said that BJP gave him a new lease of life and he had no reason to dump the party at this juncture. Responding to a question on his recent visit to New Delhi along with Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Etela explained that he was new to the nuances of the national parties, being a member of a regional party for two decades.

He noted that problems were solved immediately in regional parties, unlike the national parties which take a long time. “I never meet people to complain about someone. If I differ, I differ on issues,” he said, adding that he was summoned to Delhi by the BJP leadership and he did not go on his own.

He said that his aim was to defeat KCR and his party in Telangana. “It is a bygone conclusion of the common man in Telangana, particularly the villagers who feel cheated by this government in every single aspect,” he added.