From ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat' to BJP rebel: T Raja Singh's rise, rifts and road ahead in Telangana Politics
BJP
MLA
T Raja Singh
, often dismissed by critics as a rabble-rouser, remains a potent and polarising symbol of hardline Hindutva in Telangana. For his supporters and admirers, however, he is more than just a voice of outrage — he is revered as 'Hindu Hriday Samrat.
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From a humble start as a small entrepreneur, Singh's meteoric rise from corporator to three-time MLA from Goshamahal is as much a story of personal grit as it is of religious mobilisation. He remains the only elected representative from the Lodha community in the state, and his appeal rests heavily on his unabashed projection of Hindutva—often laced with provocation and political theatre.
Singh's political style is marked by frequent controversies.
With over 100 FIRs, mostly for hate speech and inciting communal tensions, he has often walked the edge of legality.
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Though ideologically drawn to the BJP, Singh's relationship with the party has been rocky. He threatened to quit multiple times over issues like cow slaughter and religious conversions. He fi nally secured a BJP ticket in 2014 with support from Union home minister Amit Shah and went on to win Goshamahal, retaining the seat for three consecutive terms.
Goshamahal's unique demography — a mix of north Indian and Gujarati Hindus alongside a sizable Muslim population — allowed Singh to pitch himself as a Hindu protector. He has led rallies during Hanuman Jayanti and Ganesh Chaturthi, using the 52-foot Hanuman statue in Dhoolpet as a symbolic centrepiece.
His outreach has extended to digital Hindutva too — releasing devotional music and reaching followers via WhatsApp and proxy YouTube channels even after social media bans.
In 2018, Singh served as BJP's fl oor leader in the assembly. However, in 2023, the post went to Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, further straining ties. Singh withdrew from party activities and kept a low profi le until his resignation was formally accepted on June 30.
While his next political move is unclear, Singh insists he remains committed to the Hindutva cause — still a rebel in Telangana's turbulent political theatre.
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