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Telangana BJP shifts focus on naming the next state party chief

The list of frontrunners include Etala Rajendar, N. Ramchander Rao, D.K. Aruna, M. Raghunandan Rao, D. Arvind, Manohar Reddy, K. Venkataramana Reddy and Muralidhar Rao.

Hyderabad:Having announced names of presidents for 25 districts in the state on Monday, and also forming the booth, village and mandal committees, the BJP’s focus has now shifted to appointing its state president. The party is yet to announce the names of presidents for 13 districts in the absence of consensus.

Union minister of state Shobha Karandlaje of Karnataka, who will be the returning officer for the state president’s elections, has started preliminary discussions with prominent leaders.

With many senior leaders eyeing the post, a consensus is eluding the leadership. The party is most likely to choose one of the contenders, while a leader with a strong RSS background is likely to be the organisational general secretary. This way, the party is hopeful of working out a balance and thereby avoiding prospects of groupism, said a top source in the party. The appointment of president and organisation general secretary is typically to be in line with Congress culture of appointing presidents and working presidents.Though the district presidents have to elect the state president, the BJP generally elects the state president from a list of two or three shortlisted names.

Karandlaje will play a key role on this front and interact with the national leadership if consensus is missing.

Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar appeared as the top choice, as he has a RSS background and enjoys strong support among masses. Moreover, he is not happy with the `police job’ as his position at the Centre is not helping him to engage in state politics, said a confidant.

One factor dissuading him from making the move right away is that the term of the BJP state president is two years, while there are three months to go for the Assembly elections.

The list of frontrunners include Etala Rajendar, N. Ramchander Rao, D.K. Aruna, M. Raghunandan Rao, D. Arvind, Manohar Reddy, K. Venkataramana Reddy and Muralidhar Rao.As the party had hinted at a chief minister from the Backward Classes during the Assembly election campaign, it is likely to have a candidate from the community for either as state president or organisational general secretary post. It has appointed Alleti Maheshwar Reddy as the Assembly floor leader.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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