Five-time MLA and former Minister, A. Chandrashekhar resigned from the BJP and announced that he would join the Congress party soon.
In a letter to the BJP state president, G. Kishan Reddy, he said he was not happy with the way the party moving ahead in Telangana and decided to leave the party. He also alleged that the party leadership was not treating him well and cited the denial of a pass to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Warangal last month.
Dr. Chandrashekhar, who represented the Vikarabad constituency for five consecutive terms from 1985 to 2008 is a senior Dalit leader in Telangana having worked as a Minister in the Telugu Desham Party (TDP) in N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Cabinet. During the Telangana movement, he joined the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) but fell out with the Chief Minister, K. Chandrashekhar Rao later. He joined the Congress to unsuccessfully contest as Parliament member from Peddapalli. Later, he joined the BJP.
The former Minister, who was unhappy with the BJP for several months, said the BJP has no future as people perceive it as hands-in-glove with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS). Leaders and cadre who joined the BJP to fight against the BRS were dejected with the BJP’s attitude and lot of people will soon leave the BJP.
“Why is it that the Central Government is so soft on the Chief Minister and the BRS government despite severe allegations of corruption and misrule,” he said. Recently, when the BJP Campaign Committee Chairman, Eatala Rajender met him to placate him, Dr. Chandrashekhar made it clear that the BJP was non-serious about the BRS government’s corruption and people would not believe it as long as there was action on the Chief Minister and his family.
Dr. Chandrashekhar in all likelihood will join the Congress and had earlier indicated that through his comments. Telangana Congress president, A. Revanth Reddy is said to be coordinating the efforts to bring him to Congress which would help the party’s fortunes in the erstwhile Ranga Reddy district.
