BJP accepts Telangana MLA Raja Singh's resignation

Hyderabad, July 11 (IANS) The BJP has accepted the resignation of its Telangana MLA T. Raja Singh, nearly two weeks after he quit in protest against the appointment of N. Ramchander Rao as the president of the party’s state unit.

BJP’s national general secretary and headquarters in-charge Arun Singh wrote to Raja Singh on Friday that his resignation has been accepted with immediate effect as per the direction of the party’s national president J.P. Nadda.

Referring to Raja Singh’s resignation letter dated June 30 and addressed to then BJP state president G. Kishan Reddy, Arun Singh wrote that the same was brought to the notice of Nadda. “The contents mentioned by you are irrelevant and do not match the functioning, ideology and principle of the party,” he wrote.

Raja Singh, a Hindutva hardliner and three-time MLA from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, sent his resignation after he was not allowed to file a nomination for the post of the party’s state president.

His action came after Ramchander Rao filed the nomination for the post after the BJP’s central leadership conveyed its choice to the party unit.

Unhappy over the manner in which the new state president was named, Raja Singh resigned from the primary membership of the party.

Raja Singh, a controversial figure, wanted to run for the post of president and was keen to file the nomination.

He wrote to Kishan Reddy that the media reports about Ramchander Rao being appointed as the state BJP president came as a shock and disappointment to not just him but lakhs of party workers.

"At a time when BJP stands at the threshold of forming first government in Telangana, such a choice raises serious doubts about the direction we are heading," he wrote.

Raja Singh also stated that there are many capable senior leaders, MLAs and MPs who have tirelessly worked for the growth of the BJP and who have the strength, credibility and connect to lead the party forward.

“Unfortunately, it appears that some individuals, driven by personal interests, have misled the central leadership and taken decisions by running the show from behind the curtain. This not only undermines the sacrifices of grassroots workers but risks pushing the party into avoidable setbacks,” he wrote.

Raja Singh made it clear that while he may be stepping away from the party but he remained fully committed to the ideology of Hindutva.

The MLA appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president J.P. Nadda, Amit Shah and B.L. Santhosh to ‘reconsider this course’. “Telangana is ready for the BJP, but we must choose the right leadership to honour that opportunity and not let it slip away,” he added.

--IANS

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