Hyderabad: The race has begun for the BJP state president's post as the term of Dr K. Lakshman will be over by the end of December.
Several senior and young leaders, who are said to be in the race are lobbying in Delhi, emboldened by the party improving its position in the state by winning four seats in Telangana state.
After an improved performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP high command is of the opinion that strengthening the party in the state by bringing in more new faces and senior politicians from other parties would help it grab the power in the 2023 Assembly elections.
According to sources in the BJP, Karimnagar MP B. Sanjay Kumar has a fair chance as he belongs to Backward Classes and has defeated TRS senior leader B. Vinod Kumar in the Lok Sabha polls.
Mr Arvind Dharmapuri is also said to be in the race. He defeated Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha in the LS polls. But sources said he was trying for a plum post at the Centre and the party high command has promised to consider his request.
Former Mahbubnagar MP A.P. Jitender Reddy, former minister D.K. Aruna and MLC Ramachandra Rao are also contenders for the post of the state party chief.
Dr Lakshman is also trying for a second term as the party did well in the state under his leadership, but party sources said the high command was planning to use his services at the national level.
