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The Print
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
An ex-MLC & Brahmin leader with ABVP roots, Ramchander Rao is new chief of faction-ridden Telangana BJP
The party failed in its 2023 mission to grab power in the state but is currently at an all-time high in terms of numbers—eight Lok Sabha MPs, eight MLAs, three MLCs, and one Rajya Sabha MP. Since Telangana's formation in 2014, the post has been held by two OBCs: K. Laxman and Bandi Sanjay, both from the influential Munnuru Kapu community, and one from the dominant Reddy caste, G. Kishan. Hyderabad: In the Telangana unit riven by factionalism and squabbling for control among dominant Reddy and OBC leaders, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command opted for N. Ramchander Rao, a Brahmin, as the new party chief, thus continuing with its broader trend of leadership experimentation in the southern state. Rao, who took charge Tuesday after a grand ceremony, has the daunting task of taking everyone along on his shoulders as the party prepares for the 2028 polls. Although Rao, a leader lacking mass appeal, was in the BJP high command's calculation, several heavyweights were also in the fray—Lok Sabha MPs Eatala Rajender, Dharmapuri Arvind, D.K. Aruna and Raghunandan Rao. With profound humility and an unwavering sense of duty, I extend my deepest gratitude to the people of Telangana for their unwavering faith in our shared vision for the state. I thank the Almighty for bestowing upon me this immense responsibility to serve our great land and its… — N Ramchander Rao (@N_RamchanderRao) July 1, 2025 Union Minister Affairs Bandi Sanjay's name was also heard strongly, more so as a demand from the cadre. Popular but controversial leader MLA Raja Singh, too, vied for the post. However, the high command nodded in favour of Rao as the unanimous candidate, though Singh attempted to spoil the party with a futile nomination attempt on Monday. The Goshamahal MLA resigned from the party later. Rao, from an RSS-ABVP background, is a senior advocate and ex-MLC, who was elected in 2015 from the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar graduates' constituency. He has also served as the Hyderabad city BJP president. Down to the wire, the race was between Rao and Rajender till Monday morning, when the high command instructed Rao to file the election papers. Rajender, who served as health and finance minister in the K. Chandrasekhar Rao cabinet, joined the BJP in 2021 amid a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government-launched probe into the acquisition of assigned lands for industries set up by his family. The buzz was that he came in with an assurance of a top post sooner or later. Retaining Huzurabad in the by-poll that year, he lost from Huzurabad and KCR's Gajwel segments in 2023. He managed to win the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat five months later. On Monday afternoon, as Rao filed his papers for the president post at the BJP headquarters in Hyderabad, accompanied by Bandi, Kishan, Aruna, MPs like Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, MLAs, among others, Rajender was away staging a protest against the demolition of encroachments by authorities at Jawahar Nagar in the city. Though a popular face, Rajender, with a Left-wing background, is seen as an outsider within the party. Skipping the nomination event, he, however, attended the new president's induction ceremony on Tuesday, even declaring his support for Rao. In the Telangana BJP riled by factions and frictions, a senior leader commented that 'acceptance is preferred over popularity' in order to set the house in order first. 'Regional parties need iconic, strong leaders, not national parties. In the state units especially, it is acceptance that is paramount,' the Lok Sabha MP told ThePrint. Another leader said, 'In the largely OBC versus Reddy jostling in the party, Rao, a Brahmin, comes across as a no-threat to anyone. Given his seniority and vast experience, he should be able to take most of the leaders along towards the next polls.' Unlike the Brahmins in north India, in Telangana and other southern states, their numbers and influence in political space are minimal. Rao's three-year tenure will be till June 2028, ending five months before the Telangana assembly elections. 'That gives some hope to the now dejected hopefuls of the president's post. But depending on the situation then, the bosses might opt to go with the incumbent into the polls,' said the second leader. It was not the case last time. The removal of Bandi Sanjay from the state chief post in July 2023, ahead of the Telangana polls, shocked the party cadres who were on a high after the Dubbaka and Huzurabad by-poll wins as well as a spectacular show in the 2020 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls, with the Karimnagar MP at the wheel. Bandi's removal ahead of crucial polls, amid swelling discord among senior leaders, was seen as a major setback for the party raring to grab power in the state at that time. While the public impetus was lost with the removal of the firebrand leader, the party also suffered setbacks as several prominent leaders like M. Vijayashanthi jumped ship and joined the Congress before the November 2023 polls. Vijayashanthi said the 'BJP lost stakes in Telangana the day Bandi was removed', and even reportedly attributed the high-command action to pressure from Eatala. Kishan Reddy, often accused of being friendly or soft with political opponents, was brought in as a stopgap arrangement to quell discord, but was continued in the post, even after his re-induction into Narendra Modi's third government in 2024. Sources indicated that Bandi lobbied in support of Rao, which edged out Eatala. Also Read: How a YSRCP supporter's death after coming under Jagan's car has sparked a political firestorm Who is Ramchander Rao? The BJP described Rao's appointment as 'a significant move aimed at strengthening the party's ideological and organisational base in Telangana'. The BJP said in a statement that his appointment signalled the party's 'clear intent to return to its foundational principles and reinforce its grassroots connect in Telangana'. An ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) leader during the volatile 1970s and 1980s, Ramchander Rao rose to prominence at Osmania University (OU) by challenging the dominance of Leftist student organisations. 'In an era when Naxalite ideology entrenched itself in the OU student politics, Rao led the ABVP's counter-mobilisation with grit and resolve. Despite facing physical attacks— including a grievous assault in the university library that left him hospitalised for weeks— Rao remained undeterred and continued to fight for the nationalist cause on campus,' a biography shared by the party says. Starting legal practice in 1986 at the Nampally criminal courts and later the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Rao was designated as a senior advocate in 2012. He has represented clients across the Supreme Court, High Courts and tribunals, 'while continuing to provide legal support to party workers and the organisation', according to BJP leaders. In the party, Rao held several key positions, including Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) secretary, state convenor of the legal cell, National Legal Cell member, state general secretary, and official spokesperson. He served as a member of the Press Council of India from 2013 to 2015 and was also a member of academic and general councils at NALSAR University, Hyderabad and National Law University, Bangalore. Rao was one of the accused in the University of Hyderabad student Rohit Vemula's 2016 suicide case. 'The party high command's decision to elevate Ramchander Rao is being welcomed by senior leaders and the cadre alike, who view him as a unifying force with a deep understanding of both the party's ideological vision and on-the-ground realities. He is known for his accessibility, humility, and unwavering loyalty to the party,' said the BJP press release. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: What's behind Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's new gau raksha focus & what the state plans to do
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Time of India
Fake job fraud racket busted, four arrested
New Delhi: Delhi Police busted an interstate gang of cyber fraudsters in north district for duping people by offering them part-time jobs, police said on Saturday. Four accused were arrested and a wide network of scamsters has been exposed. The accused were identified as Anshul Kumar (20), Sandeep (19), Rajender alias Raju (23) and Ravindra Beda alias Rakesh (20). While Anshul and Sandeep are both residents of Haryana, Rajender and Ravindra are both residents of Rajasthan. According to police, the case came to light when a 32-year-old fashion designing student from central Delhi's Subzi Mandi complained of getting duped of Rs 90,800. The complaint was sent through the NCRP portal. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi According to the complainant, she had received a message on social media, offering her a part-time job of reviewing restaurants and hotels. After receiving some initial money, she was added to a group where she was told that she could earn more by investing money into the given tasks. After she didn't receive a payback on her initial investment of Rs 5,000, she was led to pay a total of Rs 90,800 across multiple transactions to release her funds. DCP (North) Raja Banthia said, "Police conducted a detailed technical analysis including tracing call details, IMEIs and the money trail across bank accounts. After three days of raids, two of the alleged scamsters, Anshul and Sandeep were apprehended from Sonipat, Haryana."
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Phone tapping case: Ex-SIB chief Prabhakar Rao was serving interests of ex CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, says Telangana MP Eatala Rajender; claims his phone was tapped multiple times
HYDERABAD: BJP MP Eatala Rajender, who appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) probing the phone tapping scandal, claimed that his phone was tapped multiple times. Speaking to the media after his deposition on Tuesday, Rajender alleged that the surveillance intensified during the Huzurabad by-election, and even the phones of his personal security staff were intercepted. Questioning the Congress govt's silence on the issue, he asked, "When will this phone tapping finally end?" He also demanded to know why the state govt has not yet released reports from various committees investigating corruption linked to the previous BRS regime. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Rajender accused top officials of acting as 'puppets' for former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. "SIB former chief Prabhakar Rao flouted norms to serve KCR's interests. There now appears to be a tacit understanding between the BRS and Congress," he alleged. According to Rajender, the former BRS govt indiscriminately tapped the phones of prominent figures from various sectors, infringing on constitutional freedoms. "Instead of targeting anti-social elements, they tapped opposition leaders," he said, citing instances from the Munugode by-election where the BJP's strategy, conversations, and movements were allegedly monitored. He criticised the Congress govt for setting up inquiry panels on phone tapping and the Kaleshwaram project but not ensuring timely investigations. Echoing similar concerns, BJP state general secretary G Premender Reddy told SIT officials that both his phones were tapped during the polls. He described the previous BRS govt's surveillance operations as 'disgraceful'.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Eatala Rajender sticks to his guns on KLIP
BJP Malkajgiri MP and former Finance Minister Eatala Rajender has stuck to his guns on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) getting Cabinet clearance under the KCR regime and offered to quit politics if he was proved wrong. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, to highlight his one year work as an MP, Mr. Rajender was irked when questioned about his stance on the controversial project as told to the Justice Ghose Committee. 'I am being unnecessarily targeted. Doesn't Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy know that no project can be built without Cabinet clearance? Isn't his Cabinet meeting regularly to discuss such issues? There are three ministers in his own Cabinet who were present in the BRS government too, why can't he ask them? I can also state that former Chief Minister KCR even went to the extent of telling various departments not to take unilateral decisions but get them cleared in the Cabinet,' he maintained. The BJP leader said he was ready to provide evidence of the official papers to the media to prove his point. He was also among the first to have opposed the irrigation projects taken up to benefit Andhra Pradesh like the Pothireddypadu work during the Y.S. Rajashekara Reddy Government. Progress report Top BJP leaders, including Union Minister for Coal & Mines G. Kishan Reddy, will be attending a meeting at Imperial Gardens in Secunderabad on June 22, where he will present his one year progress card (works taken up in the constituency) with an exhibition. It will also highlight the Modi Government's initiatives in the third term. Mr. Rajender spoke about the ongoing national highway works, completion of MMTS phase two, Cherlapally terminal station and Malkajgiri station improvement, and proposed flyovers connecting Medchal and Shamirpet. He demanded that the ₹300 crore compensation to be paid to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) by the government for the proposed flyovers should be utilised to build housing for the poor in the area itself. Senior leaders S. Malla Reddy and others were present.
The Hindu
15-06-2025
- The Hindu
Police arrest serial killer's associate from Aligarh in U.P.
The Delhi police on Sunday arrested Rajender alias Rajau, an alleged key associate of a serial killer, Devender Sharma, also known as Dr. Death. Rajender has been arrested in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, said an official on Sunday. His criminal record includes 12 serious cases, including murder, robbery, and kidnapping. He is also wanted in four more murder cases in Delhi and Gurugram in which he had never been arrested. 'All concerned police stations have been informed about his arrest, and further legal proceedings are underway,' said the officer. However, Rajender's arrest came days after Delhi police arrested Sharma, an Ayurvedic practitioner who is suspected to have been involved in 50 murders, from Rajasthan's Dausa on May 19. Sharma, during interrogation, revealed Rajender's name to the police and stated that he was still at large. Sharma also alleged that the 59-year-old Kasimpur resident played a crucial role in their criminal operations, said a senior police officer. A police team began tracking Rajender across Aligarh, Jaipur, and Delhi, following multiple leads. He was finally located in a remote area of Kasimpur, where he lived under a false identity and worked as a security guard at a local pump house. Rajender, an integral part of Sharma's crime syndicate in the early 2000s, targeted truck and taxi drivers. The gang was known for murdering people and dumping them in a crocodile-infested canal in Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh, said the police. Police said Rajender joined Sharma's gang in 2003. In 2007, he was arrested in Jaipur under a false name in connection with a murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. For 14 years, he served the jail term without revealing his involvement in other crimes, which are linked to Sharma. 59-year-old Rajender was declared a proclaimed offender in a 2004 case of murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, and destruction of evidence registered at the Sarita Vihar police station.
