Raja Singh said he told Rajender about the police harassment of BJP Goshamahal Corporator Shashikala, other party leaders.
Raja Singh with Eatala Rajender. (Supplied)
Chairman of the Telangana BJP’s Election Management Committee and Huzurabad MLA Eatala Rajender met suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh at Dhoolpet in Hyderabad on Wednesday, 19 July, and discussed political issues.
Rajender’s meeting with Raja Singh assumed significance following the rumours that the latter was contemplating joining the ruling BRS.
Sources said the main objective of Rajender’s meeting with Raja Singh was to pacify him and persuade him against taking any hasty decision to quit the party.
After interacting with Raja Singh, Rajender told media persons that the police were foisting false cases against the BJP corporator and other leaders from the Goshamahal constituency.
Rajender said the BRS was resorting to repressive measures against the BJP leaders and was terrorising the party’s cadre to win the constituency at any cost in the next Assembly elections in the state, likely to be held in December.
“It is our responsibility to protect our cadre,” he said, assuring that he would speak to the police officers and request them to withdraw the false cases.
Referring to the suspension of Raja Singh from the BJP, he said the issue would come under the purview of the central leadership.
“We strongly believe that the central leadership will take an appropriate decision on revoking Raja Singh’s suspension,” he said.
Speaking to media persons, Raja Singh said he explained in detail to Rajender the harassment meted out by the BRS against BJP Goshamahal Corporator Shashikala and other leaders in the constituency.
He said the police registered an attempt to murder case against the corporator and other party leaders when they went to pacify the people involved in a minor dispute over putting up a flexi in Dhoolpet.
Newly appointed Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy and Rajender said the party would extend necessary help to the cadre and protect them.
They said since the BRS was desperate to win the constituency, it was targeting key BJP leaders and booking false cases against them with the help of the police.
Referring to his suspension, Raja Singh said both Kishan Reddy and former state party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar brought the matter to the notice of the central leadership.
Asked whether he was joining the BRS, he made it clear that there was no question of quitting the BJP.
Raja Singh regularly meets Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy and Finance Minister T Harish Rao seeking funds for the development of his Goshamahal constituency.
He recently met Harish Rao to seek funds for the modernisation of a government hospital in the constituency.
Raja Singh’s meeting in Narsingi with Harish Rao on 14 July triggered rumours that he was going to join the BRS soon.
The interaction between Raja Singh and Harish Rao during the meeting became a hot topic among the political circles leaving everyone guessing.
Minutes after the rumours, along with a video of Raja Singh coming out of the minister’s residence, went viral on social media platforms, Raja Singh clarified that he would stay in the BJP till his last breath.
He said even if the BJP did not revoke his suspension he would not join any party, rather he would work for the protection of Hindu dharma.
He made it clear that he met the minister only to discuss the pending problems of his constituency.
On 23 August, 2022, the BJP suspended Raja Singh from the party hours after his arrest by the Hyderabad police for allegedly making controversial statements and outraging the feelings of a particular religious minority.
The letter signed by Om Pathak, member secretary of the Central Disciplinary Committee of the BJP, stated that Raja Singh had expressed views contrary to the party’s position on various matters.
Raja Singh had posted a video on YouTube allegedly referring to a particular community and a stand-up comedy show by Munawar Faruqui that was scheduled to be held in Hyderabad.
Raja Singh was released in November 2022 after Telangana High Court set aside his arrest under provisions of the Preventive Detention (PD) Act. He was arrested in August 2022.
Since then Raja Singh is staying away from party activities. He only took part in the Sri Rama Navami Shobha Yatra procession organised from Dhoolpet to Hanuman Vyayamshala in Sultan Bazaar on 30 March.
Although he has desisted from holding events in Hyderabad or making any inflammatory speeches in Telangana, Raja Singh has been active in neighbouring Maharashtra and even Rajasthan, holding rallies and making incendiary speeches targeting the minorities.
A few weeks ago, film actress-turned-politician Vijayashanthi tweeted stating that the party cadre strongly feels that the BJP is delaying revoking suspension of Raja Singh.
“Everyone including Telangana BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar wholeheartedly wants to revoke the suspension on Raja Singh. We strongly believe that the same would happen,” she tweeted. Her tweet put the party’s high command in New Delhi in a tight spot.
Raja Singh is the only BJP candidate to win in the 2018 Assembly election, from his Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad. All other candidates of the party lost the elections badly.
Given his popularity and appeal not only in Telangana but also elsewhere in the country, the BJP central leadership might take not take any decision against Raja Singh and might revoke his suspension.
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