Laxman, Kishan Reddy remain silent on change in Telangana BJP leadership

Party sources say that Kishan Reddy and Laxman were not making concrete efforts to defuse the situation and bring unity among the various factions

Hyderabad: Even as the Telangana BJP unit is witnessing internal squabbles since the last few months with some senior leaders raising a banner of revolt against State party president Bandi Sanjay, two of the seniormost leaders in the State appear to be distancing themselves from the issue, in turn triggering confusion among the party rank and file.

Party State unit leaders are looking worried over senior BJP leader and union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy and BJP OBC Morcha National President and Rajya Sabha member K Laxman maintaining silence on the demand of a few other senior leaders to replace Sanjay. Party sources say that the duo were not making concrete efforts to defuse the situation and bring unity among the various factions.

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With both the leaders maintaining silence on the issue, party leaders and workers are confused as Kishan Reddy and Laxman are considered to be close to the top leadership including union Home Minister Amit Shah. The party sources said the leaders and workers were taking their silence as a sign of their support to the leaders demanding replacement of Sanjay.

In fact, recently during a press conference in the BJP State office, when Kishan Reddy was asked about the reports regarding replacing Sanjay, he did not respond and left the conference.

It’s a known fact that Kishan Reddy has been supporting Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajendar, who is at loggerheads with Sanjay, right from the beginning. Ever since Sanjay took the charge of the party in the State, Kishan Reddy has only once given a statement in support of Sanjay, which was when he was arrested in connection with the SSC exam papers leak case.

On the other hand, Laxman, who preceded Sanjay as the State president, too is reportedly not so comfortable with his style of functioning. He has not been responding to the present crisis in the party and is adopting a wait and watch strategy.

Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda sent out a message through public platforms backing Sanjay’s leadership, it has not helped him in consolidating his position in the party. According to sources, Sanjay too was unhappy with lack of support from Kishan Reddy and Laxman on the issue. He had reportedly brought the behaviour of the duo to the notice of the party high command and State in-charges.

Shah busy with cyclone, Khammam meeting cancelled

The proposed public meeting of union Home Minister Amit Shah in Khammam scheduled to be held on Thursday has been cancelled.

BJP State president Bandi Sanjay said Shah’s public meeting had been cancelled as he was ‘busy’ monitoring the impact of Cyclone Biparjoy bearing down upon Gujarat. A fresh date for the party’s meeting in Khammam would be announced later, he said.

The decision to postpone the meeting, according to Sanjay, was taken as Shah was personally monitoring the cyclone related developments and relief operations. Meanwhile, the proposed public meeting of BJP national president JP Nadda would be held as scheduled on June 25 at Nagarkurnool.