As the Bharatiya Janata Party national leadership is getting ready to appoint new president for the Telangana unit of Bharatiya Janata Party, more leaders have thrown their hats into the ring and are lobbying for the same.
According to party sources, the appointment of new Telangana BJP chief is expected to be finalized by February 15.
Several prominent names are in the race for the top position, but initial reports indicated that senior leader and former minister Eatala Rajender will be the most likely choice of the party.
However, Rajender, who is presently Malkajgiri MP, is new to the party and hence, he is facing stiff resistance from other leaders who have been with the party for several years.
Among the other contenders for the post are Dharmapuri Arvind, N Ramachander Rao and D K Aruna. However, internal differences between senior and new leaders have emerged, prompting the party's high command to explore a middle-ground solution.
Unexpectedly, the name of P Muralidhar Rao has come for reckoning in the party circles for the BJP state chief post, in the event of any strong resistance for Eatala Rajender from within the party.
Since Aleti Maheshwar Reddy, who belongs to the Reddy community, is serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, the party might not prefer a Reddy or a Velama leader as the state president, as it would lead to dissatisfaction among the BC communities.
But if Muralidhar Rao or Aruna is preferred for the post, the party is likely to offer the Working President post to a leader from the Backward Classes (BC) community to maintain caste balance. This post has never been there in the party till now.
However, if a BC leader is chosen as the state president, there might be no need for a separate Working President post, according to BJP insiders.
The final decision is expected soon, with the party leadership carefully assessing caste and regional dynamics before making an announcement.
