The reports that rebel Telangana Rashtra Samithi legislator and former state health minister Eatala Rajender meeting the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders at a farmhouse and he might join the saffron party seem to have created a commotion in anti-BJP groups in the state.
A day after Rajender met with Union minister G Kishan Reddy and national secretary Bhupendra Yadav, there were reports in the media that the TRS leader might even go to New Delhi in a day or two to meet BJP national president J P Nadda and formally join the party.
This has left the anti-BJP forces in Telangana in a tight spot, as they have also been trying to rope Rajender into their group to launch an anti-TRS front.
On Thursday, former MP from Chevella Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, along with Telangana Jana Samithi leader Prof M Kodandaram, rushed to Rajender’s house for talks.
According to sources, both the leaders have prevailed upon Rajender to drop the idea, if he has any, to join the BJP as it might dilute his pro-Telangana cause.
Instead, they reportedly suggested that he should better take the initiative in consolidating an anti-TRS front to emerge as an alternative force in the state.
Speaking to media persons later, Konda said they had not discussed any politics with Rajender, but they only extended moral support to him.
“If Rajender has made any mistake, why didn’t KCR expel him from the party?” he asked.
He, however, admitted that they were trying to float a common forum along with Rajender to expose the misdeeds of the state government.
Kodandaram said KCR expected everybody to be under his shadow and if any TRS leader acted independently, he would launch a witch-hunt against him.
“If there are any political differences KCR should try to resolve them through talks, rather than acting in vengeance,” he said.
