New DelhiIn a major organizational reshuffle, the BJP on Tuesday appointed Union ministers G Kishan Reddy, Sunil Jakhar and Babulal Marandi as presidents of its state units in Telangana, Punjab and Jharkhand respectively. In a statement, the party also announced former Union minister D Purandeshwari as its new Andhra Pradesh president and brought in OBC leader Etela Rajender as the chairman of its election management committee in poll-bound Telangana. Eatela Rajender served as the first Finance Minister of Telangana and started his political career with Bharat Rashtra Samithi led by K Chandrasekhar Rao and remained with it till 2021, after which he joined BJP. Newly appointed President of Andhra BJP, D Purandeswari is the daughter of Telugu Desam Party founder and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao.
G Kishan Reddy appointed as BJP State President of Telangana, D Purandeshwari appointed as Andhra Pradesh BJP State President, Former CM Babulal Marandi appointed as State President of Jharkhand, Sunil Jakhar – Party of Punjab Became the state president of pic.twitter.com/j4QSxZbFim— ANI (@ANI) 4 July 2023
cre trending stories
The development highlights the BJP’s push to set its house in order in Telangana, where many relatively new but powerful people in the party were against the leadership of Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Sources said Kumar could be inducted as a minister in the central government in the reshuffle in the coming days.
Former MP Sunil Kumar Jakhar, who quit the Congress in May last year claiming that he wanted to support “nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab”, will now lead the saffron party in Punjab. Jakhar has replaced Ashwini Sharma while Babulal Marandi has come in place of Deepak Prakash. Marandi was the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand and is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.
In addition, Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh before the formation of Telangana state, has been appointed as a member of the party’s National Executive Committee.
The reshuffle is significant in view of the primacy given to leaders who have joined the BJP from other parties. Jakhar and Rajendra left the Congress and the BRS respectively to join the BJP. Purandeshwari was in the Congress and was a minister in the UPA government.
The development will further fuel speculation about a cabinet reshuffle. Meanwhile, the saffron party has also called a meeting of all state presidents, state general secretaries and state in-charges on July 7. This meeting will be presided over by BJP National President JP Nadda and National General Secretary BL Santosh.
BJP sources said that the important thing is that a meeting of the Union Cabinet is also likely to be held at 10.30 am on Wednesday.