Days after tasting the bitter truth that removal of Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay as the State unit chief did not go down well with the party cadres, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s central leadership began ‘damage control’ exercise by elevating him as the national general secretary.
Mr. Bandi will be the only south Indian BJP leader among the eight General Secretaries while another senior leader D.K. Aruna has been retained as the Vice President. The BJP leadership on Saturday announced new office bearers at the national level.
Sources said the party leadership had not expected the serious backlash in the aftermath of replacing Mr. Bandi and making Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy as the President and elevating Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender as the party’s Election Campaign Committee Chairman.
The loud cheers and huge applause accorded to Mr. Bandi when he rose to speak at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Warangal earlier this month and the cadres mobbing him at the party office during a programme where Kishan Reddy took charge did not go unnoticed.
A top BJP functionary said three factors had unnerved in the aftermath of the Karimnagar MP’s replacement. The central leadership sensed the strong repercussion the change has caused and could feel disappointment among the cadres. An impression had percolated down the party that Mr. Bandi has been completely sidelined. The leadership also could not afford to get the stigma that BJP-BRS nexus was now in the open after the latest round of reshuffle where hardline leader was eased out paving way for soft-spoken Kishan Reddy.
Before the situation could turn worse, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Mr. Bandi for a meeting in the Parliament House earlier this week. It is understood that the Karimnagar MP was given a firm assurance that his services would be fully utilised in view of the ensuing Assembly elections in five States. It is believed that Mr. Shah also promised that he would be elevated and taken into the national committee soon.
The RSS and its frontal outfits also did not keep quiet after Mr. Bandi’s removal. A strong message was sent across to the leadership that a street fighter, who had galvanised the party and made every one take note had been dropped like a hot potato. They are said to have strongly pitched for due respect to Mr. Bandi.
The former BJP chief too appeared elated at what he feels is a much needed promotion. “I am happy at the huge responsibility that has been entrusted to me. I will try my best to live up to the expectations of the party and see that BJP comes to power in Telangana,” Mr. Bandi told The Hindu from New Delhi.
A senior BJP leader, who has been closely watching the developments pointed out that a tweet by Mr. Amit Shah after his interaction with Mr. Bandi earlier this week clearly showed that the party did not want to ignore the latter.
By making Mr. Bandi the General Secretary, the party had made him invincible within the organisation in Telangana. “He will be part and parcel of any decision that is taken by the State unit. He along with Kishan Reddy and Eatala Rajender will be equally responsible on how to steer the party to victory in the Assembly and general elections,” a top leader remarked.
However, the big question that is going the quiz the party is by bringing back Mr. Bandi, is the BJP ready for three-cornered power struggle within the state unit and contain the three equally strong power centres.
