Old-Timers in Telangana BJP Want Chief with Saffron Ideological Leaning
Senior party leaders urge central leadership against appointing party hoopers as party chief
Hyderabad: Old-timers of the Telangana BJP unit have stepped up pressure on the central leadership to appoint a person with strong ideological background and long association with the party as the new state unit president. They urged the leadership against considering the ‘party hoppers’ for the post.
The BJP claims it enjoys a network of 40 lakh workers at the ground level. Party veterans argue that only a person with an ideological background can connect well with ground-level workers. “How can a newcomer with no ideological background carry along with party workers,” asked a senior BJP leader.
The old-timers such as N. Ramchander Rao, Dr Kasam Venakateshwarlu, Muralidhar Rao, Gujjula Premender Reddy, Dr G. Manohar Reddy among others are urging the central leadership to consider their commitment and unstinted association with the party for decades. According to sources, some leaders have even met the national leadership on this issue.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle, a BJP leader had pointed out the bitter experience in Andhra Pradesh, where Kanna Laxminarayana had left the party even after he was appointed state party chief.
They also referred to Vivek Venkataswamy, Raja Gopal Reddy, A.P. Jitender Reddy, and Vijayashanti, who quit the party even after they were included in the national executive for the sake of MLA tickets or government posts.
The old-timers also observed that the BJP has grown stronger in Telangana only because of the work of workers, and the leaders who had been ideologically attached with the party without expecting rewards.
A senior leader said that they are not against the party giving some tickets to new leaders to contest the elections as several factors and equations come into play.
However, they urged the leadership against appointing a non-ideological person to head the organisation. They pointed out recent comments by two party leaders who eulogised balladeer Gaddar, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself called such persons as urban Naxals.
Another leader pointed out that hardly a few workers who can be counted on fingers have been working for the party in several sensitive Naxal-infested areas like Malhar and Manthani for a long period without seeking anything in return from the party. “Who will take care of such workers if a person with a non-ideological background heads the party in the state,” he argued.
