Telugus get a raw deal
PNS|Hyderabad
The top BJP leadership which praises the Telugu states in public is ignoring Telugus, and this has made party circles unhappy. This time the absence of Telugus while selecting Rajya Sabha Members has opened the doors to criticism.
The BJP leadership announced three names for the Rajya Sabha elections. Two people from Gujarat, Kesrisinh Zala and Babubhai Desai, and Ananth Maharaj from West Bengal were given a chance.
Union Minister Jaishankar has already been nominated from Gujarat. Elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on July 24. However, there was a campaign that a Rajya Sabha seat should be given to a BJP leader from the two Telugu states. BJP National Executive Member former MP Garikapati Mohan Rao’s name figured prominently in this. If Garikapati, who belongs to the Kamma community, is given a Rajya Sabha seat, the idea that he can attract the Kammas in the two Telugu states spread in BJP circles. It is known that there was a wide campaign in the media also. Garikapati is in charge of ST constituencies in Telangana.
Political analysts say that the latest decision of the BJP leadership indicates that it is clear that the BJP has placed no hope in Telugu states. Party sources felt that by giving a chance to someone from AP–Telangana, some enthusiasm can be instilled in BJP cadres. Finally, the cadres were disappointed as it was not given to anyone.
BJP sources said that they have come to the conclusion that there is no chance for the party to grow in the Telugu states and that the party’s stance is becoming clear. It is known that Dr Laxman from Telangana and GVL Narasimha Rao from AP were given Rajya Sabha seats from other states. However, the leadership seems to think that this has not strengthened the party.
BJP seniors are expressing disappointment that no matter how much time is allotted to the two states, no matter how many people are appointed and no matter how many times they tour the Telugu states there are no gains on the ground.
Party sources say that whoever is the Chief Minister of Andhra and Telangana must not be close to the BJP either directly or indirectly. In that case, it is said that the leadership does not have the feeling of wasting time and money by focusing exclusively on Telugu states.
Especially in AP, there is no hope that the BJP will recover anytime soon and how many decades it will need to stand up and run. A BJP leader said that the Rajya Sabha may not have given leadership to AP leaders due to this detachment.
But in Telangana, when the entire saffron brigade entered the battlefield, it is surprising that it was not given at least to Telangana. Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President Nadda and Union Ministers are touring TS and trying to gain a foothold.
In this background, BJP leaders thought that a Rajya Sabha seat would be given to Telangana to boost the morale of BJP cadres fighting against the KCR government. But BJP activists got discouraged when the party leadership did not give Rajya Sabha seats to any of the leaders from the Telugu states.
