A Political Soup is on the Boil for Telangana's BJP

The Wire

3 days ago

Politics
Pavan Korada
This feud between the two Telangana BJP leaders is the first and most severe test for the new state party president, N. Ramachander Rao, a veteran appointed to quell such factionalism.
New Delhi: An uneasy ceasefire holds in Telangana's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but it is a thin veil over a deep schism that has burst into public view. The war of words between Malkajgiri MP Etela Rajender and Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar is more than a clash of personalities. It is the peak of a long-simmering power struggle rooted in ambition and political culture. Critically, it is a conflict between the party's two most prominent Backward Class (OBC) leaders, threatening the BJP's core strategy for social expansion in the state.
This feud is the first and most severe test for the new state president, N. Ramachander Rao, a veteran appointed to quell such factionalism. Instead, the conflict has intensified, exposing fault lines that could derail the party's ambitions where it once seemed poised for growth.
Anatomy of a public feud
The trigger was a visit by Bandi Sanjay to Huzurabad, an assembly segment in his Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat. He questioned the loyalty of unnamed leaders and alleged a conspiracy to cut his vote share in the parliamentary polls. "Should we give the party ticket to such a candidate?" he asked, a clear reference to upcoming local elections.
The target was unmistakable. Etela Rajender, who represented Huzurabud for multiple terms and sees it as his bastion, took the remarks as a direct challenge. His response was swift and theatrical.
Gathering hundreds of supporters at his home, Rajender launched a furious counter-attack. Without naming Sanjay, he unleashed a personal tirade. "Who is he? Is he a psycho, a sadist, a human or an animal?" he charged. Using familiar Telugu terms, " kodaka" (son) and " ra" (a disrespectful 'you'), he warned, "Be careful, son, be careful."
The fallout was immediate. Goutham Reddy, a close Rajender aide and the BJP's in-charge for Huzurabad, resigned from his post and the party. His letter cited the "suppression of Etela's faction", giving an official name to a problem the party's leadership prefers not to acknowledge.
The BJP's high command has since imposed a gag order. But the damage was done. The conflict was no longer a backroom whisper; it was a public spectacle.
The original sin of removing a president
To understand the feud, one must revisit a key moment; the unexpected removal of Bandi Sanjay from the state presidency in mid-2023. At the time, Sanjay was at his peak. His aggressive Praja Sangrama Yatra had electrified the party cadre and positioned him as the main challenger to the ruling BRS and its chief, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had praised his efforts.
His ouster seemed politically incomprehensible. Many believed it was the result of an internal campaign led by Etela Rajender, who had joined the BJP after his own rebellion against KCR. Rajender's by-election victory in Huzurabad was built on an anti-KCR "victim" narrative and his status as a formidable BC leader who could unite the opposition.
Sanjay's removal created a damaging perception; that the BJP had struck a secret deal with the BRS. The narrative proved disastrous. The energised anti-KCR vote, now distrustful of the BJP, swung to the Congress, which swept to power. The BJP's image was shattered and its election results were a deep disappointment.
For Sanjay's loyalists, this history is a story of internal betrayal that fuels the current fight.
The high stakes of OBC politics
This strife comes at a critical time. According to the state's recent caste survey, backward classes (BCs) make up a staggering 56.33% of Telangana's population. This demographic makes the OBC vote the single-most decisive bloc in state politics. The BJP's growth strategy depends on winning a large share of this community, a goal it has stressed by repeatedly promising a "BC chief minister." In fact, it nominated R. Krishnaiah, president of the National BC Welfare Association, to the Rajya Sabha recently.
The spectacle of its two top OBC leaders in a public, personal feud shatters this narrative. It projects weakness and disunity to the very community the party is trying to court. The appointment of N. Ramachander Rao, a Brahmin, as state president – bypassing a top BC contender like Rajender – already surprised many observers. While the party called it a move to bring in a "quiet organiser", the decision is now seen through the lens of this conflict, suggesting that internal power balancing came before the broader social project.
A collision of cultures
The feud represents a clash of political cultures. Bandi Sanjay is a product of the BJP-RSS ecosystem, a homegrown ideologue whose OBC identity is part of the larger Hindutva framework. After being removed as president, he accepted the party's decision and took on a national role. His loyalty was ultimately to the institution.
Etela Rajender is a powerful import from a different political world. A former radical Left student leader, his identity is primarily that of a major BC leader and a key figure in the Telangana statehood movement. A seven-time MLA and former finance minister in KCR's cabinet, his career in the BRS was built on a strong personal brand.
His style, common in regional parties, sees a loyal faction as a source of strength. Observers suggest his error may be applying these methods within the BJP, a centralised party where open factionalism is anathema. While his Huzurabad win showed his personal appeal, his recent victory in Malkajgiri depended heavily on the BJP's organisation and the 'Modi wave' – a key distinction from the party's perspective.
The endgame: pressure, exit or stalemate?
With the conflict open, analysts see several outcomes.
One view is that this is a high-stakes pressure tactic. Having helped force a leadership change once, Rajender may believe he can create another crisis. He has always aimed to be the party's Chief Ministerial face. He may be angling for a Union Cabinet post or another key role, assuming he is too influential to sideline.
A second possibility is an exit. Yet, his options are difficult. A ghar wapsi (homecoming) to the BRS seems unlikely. The ruling Congress is already crowded with ambitious leaders. Launching a new BC-based party is a huge risk in a state where regional identity has proven stronger than caste, at least for now.
This leaves the BJP in a dilemma. Punishing a prominent BC leader like Rajender could alienate a crucial vote bank and warn off other potential leaders. But inaction is just as risky. It undermines the new state president, shatters the party's image of discipline, and demoralises the cadre.
Worse, it makes a mockery of its own OBC outreach. The future of the Telangana BJP now hinges on resolving this internal war. The choice is not just about managing two ambitious leaders; it is about salvaging its most important political project in the state.
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