'Difficult to pretend all is well': T Raja Singh quits BJP over Ramchander Rao's likely appointment as Telangana unit chief

Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh on Monday resigned from the primary membership of the party, stating his decision based on reports suggesting appointment of senior leader Ramchander Rao as the state unit president.

In his resignation letter addressed to BJP Telangana president G Kishan Reddy, Raja Singh said the reported decision has “shocked and disappointed” not just him, but also “lakhs of Karyakartas, leaders, and voters” who have stood by the BJP through its highs and lows.

“This decision has come as a shock and disappointment, not just to me, but to lakhs of Karyakartas, leaders, and voters who have stood by the party through every high and low,” Singh wrote.

Earlier, the BJP on Sunday issued the notification for the election of its Telangana state president. As per the notification, nominations would be accepted from 2 PM to 4 PM on June 30, and the nominations can be withdrawn between 4 PM and 5 PM.

Former BJP MLA Endala Lakshminarayana, who is the state election officer, said Union Minister of State for MSME Shobha Karandlaje would be the Central Returning Officer for the elections to be held at the BJP's state headquarters here.

Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy was elected as the BJP's state unit president in July, 2023, replacing Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

Kishan Reddy continued to hold the post, though he assumed responsibility as Union Minister in the third tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Speculation has been rife over the election of Kishan Reddy's successor. The names of Rajya Sabha member K Laxman, Lok Sabha members Eatala Rajender and D Arvind, and former MLC N Ramchander Rao are doing the rounds, though several other leaders are also hopeful of luck favouring them.

It is speculated that the party may choose a leader belonging to backward sections in view of the emphasis of the ruling Congress on social justice. The Congress government has also conducted a caste survey in the state.