Published Jul 01, 2026 | 5:19 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 01, 2026 | 5:19 PM
Nitin Nabin seen during the inauguration of the BJP Telangana State Executive Committee meeting. (Official photo)
Synopsis: The BJP has recently been talking up a big game in Telangana, but on the ground it has struggled to get even a 1000 of its booth-level workers to do the central leadership’s bidding. There are many more signs of disarray that must have rattled the BJP president and general secretary on their tour of the state…
For all the grand posturing by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Telangana will soon turn saffron, the series of internal meetings during the just-concluded visit of party president Nitin Nabin hardly presented any picture of comfort and hope.
Visible groupism—there are as many groups in the party as the number of MPs and MLAs (8+8)—lack of effort on the ground and unwillingness to take on the Congress government were some of the sore points that came to the fore.
Apart from meeting MPs and MLAs over an informal session, Nitin, as well as BJP general secretary Sunil Bansal, interacted with office bearers of the state executive.
“How can we convince people that we are the real alternative to the Congress and not the Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) when we are not ready to fight against the government on any issue?” Bansal reportedly remarked at the executive meeting. On the other hand, the main opposition BRS has been quite aggressive in its anti-government positioning, Bansal pointed out.
The state executive meeting also left party leaders disappointed as most of the office bearers (vice-presidents, secretaries etc) were not given space on the dais, contrary to the established practice. The stage was instead occupied by MLAs and MPs.
“Party apparatus is as important as elected representatives. How can we be ignored like this at an important meeting where the party president is present? Is this the way to strengthen the party?” an office-bearer asked.
Several other data points reflecting the lack of enthusiasm also came up during the review.
For example, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat programme.
As per instructions from the central leadership, the programme must be mandatorily tuned into by booth-level organisers and the same uploaded onto the party’s portal, Saral, as a confirmation. As against the estimated 30000-plus booth organisers in Telangana (as per BJP records), the number of uploads never went beyond 1,000.
Likewise, the party has given a programme to all MPs and MLAs marking the completion of 12 years in office of the Modi government. According to this, every MLA must spend a night in each of the mandals in his/her constituency. Likewise, an MP must spend a night in each of the Assembly constituencies under his watch, interacting with locals. There is no evidence of MPs or MLAs having followed the suggestion.
The enlarged meeting of booth level agents (BLA2, as they are called) that Nitin Nabin addressed at the Exhibition grounds also reflected the lack of preparedness in the light of the SIR exercise launched by the Election Commission.
According to those present at the meeting, only around 4,000 BLAs attended the meeting when the number was supposed to be at least 10,000 in all the 28 Assembly segments that fall under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. There was no registration of delegates nor were the participants given any badge recognising them as BLAs. This led to doubts about whether those who attended were genuine BLAs or a random crowd had been ferried to the meeting.
Nitin Nabin’s visit was primarily intended to rejuvenate the party ahead of the upcoming elections to the GHMC and the Warangal Municipal Corporation. The BJP considers these elections as a litmus test before the bigger battle in 2028, when Assembly elections are due.
But with none of the MPs and MLAs being on the same page and working for themselves—either lobbying with the state government or wangling for positions at the Centre—the party is struggling to emerge as a serious contender for power in Telangana. It also finds itself stifled by the inability of the state leadership to trigger the imagination of people in any meaningful manner.
A video clip that went viral explains the current situation in the party. At the meeting of the executive, BJP deputy floor leader in the Assembly, Payal Shankar, was seen complaining that he was invited onto the dais quite late. BJP’s state general secretary Ashok retorted by saying, “I didn’t even know if you would attend the meeting.”
It’s this BJP that has decided to go it alone in Telangana. Need more be said?
Also Read:
BJP’s solo pitch in Telangana: A calculated political gamble
Are thirty-seven per cent of voters in Telangana suspect? Seriously!
(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
