The Telangana BJP is facing two major issues that are causing problems in choosing candidates for the Assembly elections. Firstly, the state party is experiencing internal conflicts, similar to the Congress party. Secondly, they are having difficulty finding candidates for all 119 Assembly seats, despite having a good base of supporters.
Before accepting applications for party tickets, the BJP suspended its vice president and MLA Yennam Srinivas Reddy, claiming that he was engaging in anti-party activities. The party justifies this action by saying they are eliminating candidates who do not follow the party’s agenda.
In response to his suspension, Yennam stated that there is a strong Congress wave in the state, and the BJP cannot compete with them and will likely remain in third place.
There have been recent instances of dissent within the BJP, with leaders like Raghunandan Rao expressing discontent about not being given proper importance. Former TBJP chief Bandi Sanjay faced complaints from some party leaders, resulting in his replacement by the national BJP.
The appointment of G Kishan Reddy as party chief for a second time raised eyebrows, as it was speculated that the BJP and BRS had reached an understanding to protect their few Assembly seats and maintain their current Lok Sabha seats.
Due to their setback in Karnataka, the BJP’s strategies have changed. However, they are struggling to attract new members, as many individuals are more inclined to join the Congress party.
While the BJP has lost ground in Telangana, the Congress has gained momentum and become a strong force in the state. Despite claims from the state BJP president and other national leaders about funds allocated to the state, the BJP is unable to find suitable candidates or “winning horses.” As a result, they have started inviting applications from aspirants, indicating that they have accepted their position as the third party in the state.
