Karimnagar Mayor Sunil Rao jumps ship to BJP, eyes Assembly ticket for next elections

Sunil Rao along with two corporators joins the BJP in the presence of Bandi Sanjay

KARIMNAGAR: Karimnagar Mayor Y Sunil Rao, who is learned to be aspiring for an Assembly seat, resigned from the BRS on Saturday and joined the BJP, with Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar said to have convinced him to shift loyalties with the promise of a BJP Assembly ticket in 2028.

The Mayor joined the saffron party, luring two corporators along with him as well, in the presence of Bandi Sanjay here on Saturday. Though BJP leaders had earlier claimed that about 10 corporators from the BRS would jump ship along with Sunil Rao, only two, Sridevi and Swapna, tagged along with him. BJP leaders were quick to claim that this was because Bandi Sanjay had asked Sunil Rao to bring along with him only “leaders with good reputation”. However, BRS leaders rubbished their claims, pointing out that local BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar had foiled the Mayor’s plans to lure more corporators and had held a meeting with BRS corporators at his residence on Friday night, convincing them to stay with the BRS.

---

Meanwhile, though the Mayor claimed that his decision was with the development of Karimnagar town in mind, party sources revealed that Sunil Rao had an eye on the Assembly seat for quite a long time. At the same time, the political wind currently in Karimnagar appears to be favourable for the BJP, which had won 12 divisions in the last municipal polls. Adding to this is the fact that Bandi Sanjay had lost to Kamalakar in the 2023 Assembly election by just 3,163 votes. Sources said Bandi Sanjay had promised to ensure the BJP Karimnagar Assembly ticket to Sunil Rao in the 2028 elections.

Party sources also pointed out that after the BRS lost power in the State in 2023, Sunil Rao had begun getting friendly with Bandi Sanjay. The Mayor, who was once a fierce critic of the BJP leader, had recently started praising Bandi Sanjay as well. Enraged over this, the BRS had tried to move a no-confidence motion against him but did not succeed.

When Sunil Rao went to America on personal work, BRS town president Challa Harishankar had also lodged a complaint with the Collector against the Mayor for not giving in-charge responsibility to the Deputy Mayor.