Telangana Elections 2023: BJP old timers demand their share of tickets

Around 50 leaders from Greater Hyderabad areas have been holding discussions for the last two days under the leadership of BJP State vice-president S Malla Reddy to exert pressure on the party leadership to allot tickets to few of them

Hyderabad: It seems there is no end to troubles for BJP in Telangana. After Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leaders creating ruckus in a poll preparatory meeting at the State party office demanding more representation for their leaders on Thursday, now party old timers, who have been associated with the party for over two decades, are demanding tickets for themselves creating problems for the State leadership.

According to party sources, around 50 leaders from Greater Hyderabad areas have been holding discussions for the last two days under the leadership of BJP State vice-president S Malla Reddy to exert pressure on the party leadership to allot tickets to few of them. The main contention of these leaders was that priority was being given to leaders who had joined the BJP recently from rival parties and neglecting the old party workers who had put in efforts for years to build the party.

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They alleged that the party was being taken over by ‘outsiders’ and the genuine party leaders and functionaries were being sidelined. “We have been working for the party from the days when its presence in the State was negligible. Today when we have an opportunity to contest polls on behalf of the party, the leadership is giving preferences to outsiders. We cannot take this anymore,” a senior city BJP leader, who has been in the party for over two decades said.

The senior leaders are agitated that the party leadership has taken them for granted and does not consider consulting them important before finalising the list of candidates. “If party leaders do not change their policy, the BJP would face the same embarrassment that it did in the 2018 Assembly polls,” a BJP leader said.

Sources said efforts were being made by senior leaders to contact these leaders and find solutions. The BJP is likely to release its first list of 38 candidates on Sunday and the remaining seats in a phased manner.