Telangana: Congress, BJP see race intensify for State chief posts

The situation has leaders in both parties lobbying hard for the coveted post.

Hyderabad: Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are all set to a change in the helm of party affairs in Telangana. While the change in the Congress has been pending since December when current Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy became the Chief Minister, the BJP is said to be preparing to relieve G Kishan Reddy from the responsibility of the State president after he was inducted in the union Cabinet.

The situation has leaders in both parties lobbying hard for the coveted post.

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As for the BJP, sources say though Mahabubnagar MP and BJP national vice-president DK Aruna, Medak MP M Raghunandan Rao and former MLA NVSS Prabhakar are in the race, the party leadership is more inclined towards Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender. Rajender had reportedly lobbied for a berth in the union cabinet, but could not get the chance. Hence he is said to be now lobbying for the State BJP chief post. In fact, he called on union Home Minister Amit Shah after the swearing-in ceremony of the union cabinet on June 9 and presented his case for the State chief post.

Sources say the BJP’s national leadership has tentatively decided to make an OBC leader as the State BJP president. There are two prominent OBC leaders in the State BJP who could be considered for the party chief post – Rajya Sabha member and BJP national OBC Morcha president K Laxman and Rajender. Since Laxman had held the post twice in the past and his track record was not so encouraging, the BJP leadership has reportedly decided to consider Rajender for the post.

Sources in the party say Rajender is a strong OBC leader with organising capabilities and his appointment could help consolidate the OBC vote bank in the State. However, the decision on the new BJP State chief would only be made after the BJP chooses the party’s national president.

On the other hand, the race for the TPCC president post in the Congress among the State unit leaders is also heating up. The aspirants have already intensified their lobbying, especially after Revanth Reddy met the AICC leadership in New Delhi last week. In tune with filling up of nominated posts, there could be an announcement regarding the TPCC president post anytime soon, Congress sources said.

TPCC working president T Jagga Reddy, MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud, AICC spokesperson Madhu Yaskhi Goud and AICC Secretary A Sampath Kumar are said to be the key contenders. Congress party sources said there is a strong buzz that a BC community leader may be given priority for the TPCC president post. A section of leaders say that a prominent leader from another community could also be made the new TPCC president. An official announcement could be made in this regard in a few days, they say, not ruling out a surprise as well.