Telangana: Vijayashanti’s tweet to revoke suspension on MLA Raja Singh puts BJP in a spot

The party suspended him hours after his arrest in Hyderabad, especially as a similar statement by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma a few months earlier — in May 2022 — had caused a diplomatic kerfuffle when several Muslim nations objected to her comments.

Sharma had been suspended from the party and was even rebuked by the Supreme Court.

ఎమ్మెల్యే రాజాసింగ్ గారి సస్పెన్షన్ అంశంలో బీజేపీ నిర్ణయం కొంత ఆలస్యమవుతున్నట్లు మన కార్యకర్తలు అభిప్రాయపడుతున్నరు. అయితే, బండి సంజయ్ గారితో సహా రాష్ట్ర పార్టీ అంతా ఆ సస్పెన్షన్ తియ్యబడాలని మనఃపూర్వకంగా కోరుకుంటున్నము. అలాగే జరుగుతుందని నమ్ముతున్నం. pic.twitter.com/OeqbAj4hJL

— VIJAYASHANTHI (@vijayashanthi_m) June 29, 2023

Raja Singh was released in November 2022 after the Telangana High Court set aside his arrest under provisions of the Preventive Detention (PD) Act.

Since then, Raja Singh has stayed away from party activities — and Hyderabad, where the court and the local have prohibited him from making communally sensitive speeches.

He only took part in the Sri Rama Navami Shobha Yatra procession organised from Dhoolpet to Hanuman Vyayamshala in Sultan Bazaar on 30 March.

He has, however, been active addressing rallies, mainly in neighbouring Maharashra, and making incendiary speeches targeting the minority communities.

Raja Singh is the only BJP candidate who won in the 2018 Assembly elections, from the Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, while all the other BJP candidates lost the elections in their constituencies with a wide margin.

Given his popularity — not only in Telangana but also in neighbouring states — it is likely that the BJP central leadership might eventually revoke his suspension.

Also Read: BJP leader Jithender Reddy delivers a kick to the groin

Eatala Rajender reacts

Meanwhile, responding to Jithender Reddy’s tweet on 29 June, BJP MLA Eatala Rajender, while interacting with the media in Gajwel, asked the press to ask the former only about the tweet.

The 67-year-old BJP leader had uploaded a video on his Twitter handle showing a farmer trying to load a recalcitrant yak onto a van.

The farmer goes behind the yak, lifts its tail, and delivers a sharp kick, causing the yak to board the vehicle in a single leap.

Jithender Reddy apparently intended the animal represent BJP leaders in Telangana. He had tagged @blsanthosh, @BJP4India, @AmitShah, @Sunilbansalbjp, and @BJP4Telangana in the tweet.

Eatala Rajender said that aged and experienced persons should be careful, and they should not speak vaguely. At the same time, others’ freedom and respect must also be ensured.

Rajender added that leaders from the BRS were criticising the behaviour of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and advised Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao to stop hatching conspiracies at Pragathi Bhavan in Begumpet.

The election result in the Huzurabad constituency would repeat during the next Assembly elections in Telangana, he said, adding that the people were laughing at the slogan “Abki Baar Kisan Sarkar” given by KCR in Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana.

Also Read: BJP dissidents hold crucial meeting against Eatala Rajender