Telangana: BJP’s Union ministers compete to claim credit for MLC election victory

Cancellation of a victory rally planned in Karimnagar town on Saturday by Bandi Sanjay Kumar brings the party's internal differences to the fore

KARIMNAGAR: The Internal differences in BJP’s Telangana unit is once again coming out in the open after the party’s victory in the recent MLC elections, where it managed to win two crucial seats and deliver a major blow to the ruling Congress.

Despite the victory, internal bickering over whom the credit for the victories of C Anji Reddy and M Komaraiah goes is on. The cancellation of a massive victory rally that was planned in Karimnagar town on Saturday by Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar has brought the party’s internal differences to the fore.

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Party sources said Anji Reddy, who got an MLC ticket with the help of BJP State president and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, had not sought the support of Sanjay Kumar though seven Assembly segments fell in Sanjay Kumar’s Karimnagar parliamentary constituency. Despite the candidate’s attitude towards him, Sanjay Kumar worked for the victory of the party aspirant. Komaraiah won the seat without breaking much sweat.

However, there was tough competition for Anji Reddy in graduates’ segment. When the victory of Anji Reddy was confirmed, there was a news scroll in a leading Telugu news TV channel, stating that Kishan Reddy’s strategy had worked out well, leading to the victory of Anji Reddy. Following this, Sanjay Kumar’s followers immediately contacted a few TV channels’ local reporters and asked them to telecast news making it clear that Sanjay Kumar had also worked for the victory of Anji Reddy and that the credit went to him as well.

It is said that Sanjay Kumar had planned the victory rally in the town on March 8 by inviting Kishan Reddy and other senior leaders. However, the rally was cancelled due to reasons unknown. There is talk among local party leaders that Kishan Reddy got the rally cancelled. Though they do not make it clear how he got it cancelled, party leaders themselves acknowledge that the rally was Sanjay Kumar’s ploy to claim credit for the victory of the party candidates.

Kishan Reddy had sensed this and got it cancelled, they say, warning that at a time when the BJP was slowly trying to strengthen itself in Telangana, such ego clashes between the top leaders could spell danger for the party.