Reported By: Swastika Das
Last Updated: October 13, 2023, 16:32 IST
Prominent leaders of the BJP have dug in their heels for a head-on contest with the top brass of the BRS. (Getty)
There is a proposal to pitch OBC MPs and winnable candidates in BRS bastions, with names like Dharmapuri Arvind, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and MLA Etala Rajender doing the rounds
Prominent leaders of the BJP have dug in their heels for a head-on contest with the top brass of the BRS ahead of the party releasing its first candidate list at an auspicious time after October 15 for the Telangana elections on November 30.
The party’s OBC face and five-time MLA from Huzurabad, Etala Rajender, on Thursday sent feelers about contesting from Gajwel, the sitting constituency of Telangana Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, apart from Huzurabad.
Appealing to his supporters, Etala said: “I promise the people of Huzurabad that I will contest from here and there (Gajwel) as well. I became an MLA with your blessings, not on the back of money or family name. With that same spirit, I will win once again and bring BJP to power.”
Etala is not the only one. A senior leader from the party also threw light on the various suggestions that came forward during an internal meeting at the state head office, including pitting prominent leaders of the likes of Dharmapuri Arvind, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Etala in direct contest with the leading faces of the BRS.
Similar to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, top sources within the BJP indicate that their existing four MPs, dubbed as their most winnable candidates, are likely to contest as MLAs. BJP’s MPs include G Kishan Reddy, Dharmapuri Arvind, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Soyam Bapu Rao.
“In a bid to send out a strong message to the voters and cadres, it was decided that Arvind Dharmapuri should take on KCR in Kamareddy, while Etala challenges him in Gajwel. Bandi Sanjay’s name also cropped up as a candidate against KCR’s son KT Rama Rao in Sircilla as it is part of the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency and Sanjay has a good sway in the area,” a senior BJP functionary told CNN-News18.
The leader also said the final decision had not been taken in this regard by the BJP’s central team yet, though it’s being ‘actively considered’.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech sent out a big message that he rejected KCR’s outreach to join the NDA and now, to send out an even bigger message, it is important to pitch the strongest candidates within the BJP to challenge both BRS and Congress. This will also have an impact on Lok Sabha polls with BJP’s firm focus on giving more representation to the OBC community,” a senior leader said, adding that this will further bolster their narrative that BJP and BRS are staunch rivals and not each other’s B-team as being publicised by the Congress.
