Latest news with #RamachanderRao
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BJP attributing BRS regime's failures to Cong govt: Congress MP Chamala
HYDERABAD: Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said that state BJP president N Ramachander Rao was wrongly attributing the previous BRS government's failures to the Congress government. Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan here, he alleged that the BRS and BJP are friendly parties and hence targeting the incumbent Congress government. Kiran Kumar answered the questions raised by BJP state president Ramachander Rao. Responding to a question raised by Ramachander Rao, asking why the state government was not displaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph on food security cards, he said: 'The Telangana government is ready to display a huge portrait of the prime minister if the Centre sanctions funds to Regional Ring Road (RRR) and Metro Rail projects.'
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
RSS Veterans Take Charge as BJP Recalibrates in Telugu States
Published : Jul 03, 2025 16:12 IST - 3 MINS READ The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed party veterans with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) backgrounds as State presidents in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, apparently to achieve ideological alignment and organisational consolidation. This simultaneous, explicit emphasis on RSS-rooted leadership in both Telugu States has drawn media and political attention. 'Every karyakarta has to work hard if we want the BJP flag to fly over Golconda,' declared N. Ramachander Rao in his inaugural address as Telangana's new State president. Union Minister and former State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar had made similar declarations about reclaiming Golconda during his tenure. Rao's appointment signals either a return to ideological fundamentals or an attempt to unite a fractured party, depending on perspective. The lawyer-turned-politician has warned against internal dissent, threatening legal action against those calling him a 'dummy' leader. A political scientist, speaking anonymously, described Rao's selection as strategic balancing: 'A Brahmin leader with strong ideological roots, Rao's appointment could be an attempt to balance the OBC stronghold and Reddy leadership within the Telangana BJP. This will surely satisfy hardcore RSS supporters.' Rao began his political career with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad nearly five decades ago during his undergraduate years. Although his involvement in the party has been steady, his electoral record remains modest—he lost the Malkajgiri Assembly seat in 2014, 2018, and 2023, as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha election for the same constituency. Party insiders were reportedly disappointed when he was nominated again in 2023. Analysts suggest he has waited a decade for such an appointment. Also Read | NDA partners under pressure amid Waqf Bill controversy and namaz row Eatela Rajender, who sought the presidency, faced resistance due to his Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) background and ideological incongruence. His recent remarks on the Kaleshwaram project are seen as softening his stance against the BRS. BJP's struggle for power Despite an expanding presence in Telangana, particularly in the northern districts, the BJP remains distant from power. Speculation about a Backward Class chief ministerial candidate has sparked discussion, with both Bandi Sanjay and Rajender expected to compete for the role. Rao, addressing internal rifts, stated: 'There is no new or old in the BJP. Both the new and old timers should work towards strengthening the party.' His immediate challenge is the upcoming local body elections, and his broader mandate includes countering the BRS while targeting the Congress. T. Raja Singh, MLA from Goshamahal, resigned in protest against Rao's appointment. Known for volatility, Singh has threatened to quit the party multiple times since 2016. In 2022, he faced a temporary suspension for controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad. The party has yet to respond to his resignation or his allegations of an undemocratic election. In Andhra Pradesh, former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) P.V.N. Madhav has replaced Daggubati Purandeswari as State president following her two-year term. Purandeswari, daughter of former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party founder N.T. Rama Rao joined the BJP in 2014 after leaving the Congress. She now represents Rajahmundry in the Lok Sabha. Madhav, 51 and the son of P.V. Chalapathi Rao, embodies second-generation BJP leadership with ABVP and RSS roots. Chalapathi Rao was instrumental in building the party in northern Andhra during the 1980s. Analysts see Madhav's appointment as an attempt to engage Andhra Pradesh's substantial OBC voter base. 'Purandeswari's leadership was an aberration. With Madhav's selection, they are returning to ideological roots,' senior journalist and political analyst Telakapalli Ravi told Frontline. Also Read | BJP's Tamil Nadu gambit In his inaugural speech, Madhav cited his family's association with the BJP, the RSS's contributions, and his memories of the Emergency. Despite modest electoral gains in the 2024 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has yet to establish a stronghold in Andhra Pradesh. Party leaders hope Madhav can secure better allocations among NDA allies for upcoming local body elections. Though the new State presidents may seem measured rather than aggressive, they remain committed to Hindutva ideology. Their appointments signal to long-standing members that loyalty is acknowledged, Ravi noted.
New Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Ramachander Rao to be Telangana BJP chief
HYDERABAD: Former MLC N Ramachander Rao is set to be formally announced as the new president of the Telangana BJP on July 1. His was the only nomination filed, clearing the path for an uncontested elevation to the post. The nomination process, however, was not without drama. Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh, who had aspired to lead the state unit, resigned from the party after the central leadership backed Ramachander Rao. The former MLC submitted three sets of nominations to national election returning officer Shobha Karandlaje and state returning officer Yendala Laxminarayana. Ramachander Rao's appointment has been broadly welcomed within the party. A non-controversial figure, he has been associated with the BJP since his student days with the ABVP. He earlier served as students' union president of Railway College, led the Osmania University ABVP unit, and was the first general secretary of the Yuva Morcha in united Andhra Pradesh. Ramachander Rao has held several roles, including Hyderabad BJP president, chief spokesperson and vice president. A criminal lawyer by profession, he unsuccessfully contested the Malkajgiri seat in both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. He won the 2015 Legislative Council election from the Mahbubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Graduate Constituency, a result credited with reviving the BJP's presence in the region. While his selection has drawn general support, some party members expressed surprise. The BJP had earlier indicated plans to appoint a BC leader. Ramachander Rao, a Brahmin, was therefore seen as an unexpected choice.
Hindustan Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Firebrand BJP MLA Raja Singh quits party, protesting nomination of Ramachander Rao as Telangana BJP chief
Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker from Goshamahal assembly constituency in Hyderabad, T Raja Singh, on Monday resigned from the primary membership of the party, in protest against the possible selection of senior leader and former MLC N Ramachander Rao as the Telangana state BJP president. Firebrand BJP MLA Raja Singh quits party, protesting nomination of Ramachander Rao as Telangana BJP chief Raja Singh sent his resignation letter to outgoing state BJP president and Union minister for coal G Kishan Reddy, after he was denied entry into the state party office to file nomination for the party president post. He asked Reddy to write to assembly speaker G Prasad Kumar asking the latter to disqualify him as an MLA. Earlier, Ramachander Rao filed his nomination for the post, following the directions from the BJP national leadership. A senior party leader familiar with the development said Union home minister Amit Shah, who toured Telangana on Sunday, conveyed the party's approval for Ramachander Rao's name to state leaders. The party's election committee is set to formally announce the appointment officially on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after submitting his resignation letter to Kishan Reddy, Raja Singh expressed anguish over being prevented from filing a nomination for the state president's post. 'I wanted to file my nomination at an auspicious time and obtained the signatures of three of the state council members. I still required the signatures of seven others, as per the rules,' he said. He, however, said he was denied entry into the party office. 'Some senior leaders threatened the party members with suspension from the party if they backed my nomination. Since I could not get enough members in my support, I could not file the nomination,' he said. Raja Singh recalled facing numerous challenges since 2014 and said he remained on a hit list of terrorists. He alleged that some senior leaders within the BJP do not want the party to come to power in Telangana, and therefore are obstructing committed leaders like him. He made it clear that he could no longer continue in the BJP. 'I bow to you, and to your party — farewell,' he said. In his letter to Kishan Reddy, the MLA said the decision to nominate Ramachander Rao as the state BJP president had come as a shock and disappointment to lakhs of party leaders and cadre. 'At a time when the BJP stands at the threshold of forming its first government in Telangana, such a choice raises serious doubts about the direction we are heading,' he said. He said it was unfortunate that some individuals, driven by personal interests, had misled the central leadership and taken decisions by running the show from behind the curtain. 'This not only undermines the sacrifices of grassroots workers but risks pushing the party into avoidable setbacks,' he said. Known for his hardline Hindutva stand, rabble-rousing speeches and provocative comments, Raja Singh, a three-time MLA from Goshamahal constituency, was suspended from the BJP in August 2022 for his comments that hurt the sentiments of the Muslims. The MLA was arrested by the police under Preventive Detention Act and was sent to judicial custody on August 25, 2022. He was released from jail on November 9, 2022. The BJP central leadership revoked his suspension on October 22, 2023 and gave the party ticket to contest the November 2023 assembly elections and he won the seat. Reacting to Singh's allegations, senior BJP leader and Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay said there was nothing wrong in Raja Singh aspiring to be the party president in Telangana. 'But as a disciplined soldier of the party, he should accept the choice of the party's national leadership. He cannot violate the party line,' Sanjay said. MADHAV TO BE THE BJP STATE PRESIDENT IN AP Meanwhile, former legislative council member (MLC) P V N Madhav has been chosen as the BJP state unit president of Andhra Pradesh. He filed his nomination papers on Monday, as per the directions of the high command. Madhav will be replacing former Union minister and Rajahmundry member of Parliament Daggubati Purandeshwari, who took over as the BJP state president on July 24, 2023.
