At a time the BJP is preparing for a major reshuffle in the union cabinet and also in the party’s national leadership after August 15, the Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar is said to be lobbying to quit from the union cabinet and opting for a key party post. As already BJP promised in 2023 assembly elections that a BC would be their Chief Minister candidate, he is aspiring to project himself as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate in Telangana.
However, without denying these speculations bluntly, he only said that there will be no personal decisions in the BJP and that the party leadership will decide who will be given what responsibility. “We will never impose our own decisions on the party leadership to want that post. Because BJP is a disciplined party. Whatever the leadership says, we will work with full dedication. Our responsibility as workers and leaders is to implement the decisions taken by the party leadership,” he added.
It may be recalled that ahead of 2023 assembly polls he was unceremoniously removed as state BJP chief. Though after 2024 Lok Sabha elections he was inducted into the union cabinet, he is practically felt isolated as under the shadow of all-powerful Amit Shah in the union home minister, hardly he can play any visible role. Moreover, as senior party leader G Kishan Reddy is also in the cabinet, he is hardly getting any prominence in the state.
He expected he would be taken back as state BJP chief, but it was awarded to N Ramachander Rao. Now, he is reportedly proposing to allow him to concentrate on Telangana party affairs, along with Ramachander Rao, so as to prepare ground for winning the 2028 Assembly elections. He has already conveyed his intention to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He also discussed his proposal with RSS leadership, who also said to be positive towards him.
If he is removed from the union cabinet, he is likely to be replaced by the party’s OBC Morcha national president Dr K Lakshman. Likewise, AP also said to get another berth in the union cabinet. Presently TDP MP Ramamohan Naidu is with cabinet rank and BJP’s first time MP Srinivas Varma with minister of state rank. While TDP is lobbying for another cabinet berth, from BJP both former state president D Purandeswari and Anakapalli MP CM Ramesh are extensively lobbying for cabinet berth.
However, Bandi Sanjay’s party presidency ended in intense factionalism, which has not resolved even now. Assigning him any party role may create fears among other party leaders in the state and more importantly new state chief Ramachander Rao may face adverse conditions. Many party leaders in the state were unable to digest Sanjay’s aggressive nature.
