Telangana BJP president and Union Minister of Coal & Mines G. Kishan Reddy dismissed the “veiled threat of resignation” issued by Goshamahal MLA T. Raja Singh, stating that “not much importance needs to be attached to it”.
He made this remark when asked about complaints from ‘certain’ BC leaders in the party of being “discriminated against”. He stated that some leaders were talking out of line, but he was not too concerned about it, at a press conference in Nalgonda on Sunday, as part of the ongoing campaign for MLC polls, scheduled to be held later this month.
While the party leadership wants to focus on MLC polls, the simmering discontent over the choice of district presidents has come out in the open.
Three-time MLA Mr. Raja Singh was particularly peeved that his choice of a candidate for the district president was not considered and his efforts to seek clarifications from the leadership were rebuffed.
In a video statement a few days ago, he claimed that his recommendation of a BC or SC leader was ignored and a “Majlis Party agent” was instead appointed. He made adverse remarks on the party’s functioning stating that he does not want to be a ‘broker’ and that he was facing ‘harassment’ within the party.
‘Dirty linen in public’
Former party president and Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar was forced to speak about the issue. He praised Mr. Raja Singh’s contribution to the party and advised him not to wash dirty linen in public. Even his recommendation for a district president post was not accepted but, he took it in his stride, Mr. Sanjay Kumar said.
Controversy is not new to Mr. Raja Singh and he has been keeping away from the party functions for some time now after being ignored for any of the posts though the party had won eight seats in the last Assembly elections. New-comers got plum posts despite he being the lone BJP MLA in the last Assembly.
He was also suspended for a year by the national leadership for his unsavoury comments on the minority community, but was rehabilitated just before the last elections.
