The BJP announcement of party’s central district president Lankala Deepak Reddy as its candidate for the Jubilee Hills by-election, has sparked discontent among BC sections within the party. It may be recalled that in the last assembly elections, the the party leadership had promised to make a BC candidate the Chief Minister if they came to power.
However, it failed to win over the confidence from BC communities as it had already removed a BC leader as its state president and his two consecutive successors also drawn from upper castes. They also did not give a chance to the BC even during the appointment of its leaders in both Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. Even in the union cabinet, G Kishan Reddy continued as cabinet minister.
During the Jubilee Hills by-election, as the BC reservation issue was shaking up state politics, there was intense pressure in the BJP to select a BC candidate. Moreover, the pressure increased further when the Congress announced a BC candidate. However, Deepak Reddy, who is a close associate of Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, was re-selected.
It is said that he was given a chance as he contested the last election and came in third place with 25,000 votes. There is a campaign that Kishan Reddy deliberately dragged candidate selection until the nomination period began, so as to ensure this seat should be given to his supporter only.
Goshamahal MLA and expelled party leader Raja Singh openly criticized the party for doing injustice to the BCs in this regard. “What kind of kingdom is this..Kishan Reddy’s kingdom.. Whenever elections are held in Telangana or whenever a prominent leader comes, everyone says that a BC will become the Chief Minister of Telangana in the future. When there is a small election or a big election in Telangana, the BCs are forgotten,” Raja Singh alleged.
“Kishan Reddy, can you tell me a little about where BCs are in our Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party? I have never spoken about SCs, BCs, STs or OBCs before. I only talk about Hindutva. But the reason I am talking about it today is that you play the BC card in every election and you cheat the BC community. That is why I had to say it today.” Rajasingh once again unleashed his verbal bullets on Union Minister Kishan Reddy.
