Hyderabad: Dissent within the Telangana BJP has resurfaced as Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh, who has publicly criticised the party leadership in recent times, boycotted a crucial meeting chaired by Union minister and state BJP chief G Kishan Reddy to finalise candidates for the upcoming Hyderabad local body MLC elections.
The meeting, held at Haritha Plaza in Begumpet, saw the participation of MPs Etala Rajender, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, and corporators.
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However, Raja Singh, the party’s sole MLA in Hyderabad, remained conspicuously absent, reigniting debates about internal strife between Kishan Reddy’s leadership and dissenting factions.
Raja Singh has openly accused the state leadership of sidelining senior leaders and favouring a select group, claiming “outdated leaders” dominate decision-making.
He alleged that key posts are reserved for leaders within a specific parliamentary circle, marginalising grassroots workers.
His opposition to the party’s choice of MLC candidate Gautam Rao further escalated tensions, with Singh suggesting the nomination was aimed at undermining his own political activities, including a planned Sri Rama Navami procession.
“Even your fathers can’t stop my followers,” he warned during a recent media interaction.
Raja Singh’s dissent catches BJP high command’s attention
Raja Singh’s repeated pin pricks to the state leadership have caught the attention of the High Command.
In spite of numerous cautionary notices, suspensions, and reinstatements, Raja Singh continues to hit out at the State leadership on one issue or the other.
Highly placed sources in the BJP said that Raja Singh’s tantrums and repeated comments against State leadership did not go down well with the high command, and it has been brought to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“The party has taken a serious view of his repeated comments against the State party leadership. This is causing immense damage to the party. The BJP national leadership may take stringent action if he crosses the line again,” a senior party leader told Siasat.com.
Raja Singh has always been in the eye of the storm with his stringent Hindutva ideology and repeated criticism of the state party leadership, earning flak from party leaders and workers.
Asset, liability or loose cannon
Starting as a Telugu Desam corporator from Mangalhat to becoming Goshamahal BJP MLA in 2014 in Hyderabad, Raja Singh has become an asset as well as a liability for the party thanks to his outbursts on one issue or the other. Some party leaders describe him as a “loose cannon.”
Sources in the party say that Singh developed differences with Union Coal Minister and State BJP president, G Kishan Reddy, on various issues, including the distribution of tickets and party posts to his henchmen.
“He feels that he is being targeted by Kishan Reddy. His close associates are denied posts and tickets. He bears a grudge against Reddy and tries to paint him in a bad light at every given opportunity. If his recommendation for a post to his henchman is rejected, he targets the State president. The fact is that a decision is taken by the party keeping in view various aspects. But for Raja Singh, it is not so,” explained a senior party leader.
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Another senior party leader, on condition of anonymity, said that Singh wants to project himself as a pan-India Hindu leader. He wants to contest the Lok Sabha election from Nanded or Aurangabad. But the BJP national leadership has brushed aside his demands.
