Etala Rajender Refutes Reports Of Leaving BJP

For the past few days rumours have been circulating that BJP MP Etala Rajender is planning to switch parties. Addressing a media conference today, he categorically refuted the reports, and said that he had no intention of leaving the BJP.

"It has been five years since KCR unceremoniously ousted me from the party. At that time, the situation was such that we were effectively barred from speaking out publicly. It was under those circumstances that I joined the BJP. Now, rumours are being spread that I am leaving the party. Posters to this effect are being put up in Karimnagar and, shockingly, even members of my own party are sharing them. I am not the kind of person who switches parties easily. In fact, I have said that changing parties is not as simple as changing clothes. There is currently a discussion suggesting that KCR made a mistake by losing me, and speculation is rife that I might return. I want to make it clear that such a situation will never arise," he said.

He also said that only he knew the depth of the pain he endured at that time. "There was nothing KCR didn't do to harass and torment me. I am not a person who craves or chases political posts. When the right moment arrives, the world will realise who Etala Rajender truly is," he said.

Rajender also claimed that public sentiment against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was growing increasingly negative. He alleged that, much like KCR, Reddy too had stifled the media to suppress critical voices.

He also claimed that the Revanth Reddy government appeared to be adopting KCR's stance on fee reimbursement - specifically, that it would not be made. He said this Chief Minister, then, could also face the same fate as KCR.

Speaking about his own party, he said that the BJP had six MPs in the State in total, and that they would continue to fight for the people's issues in the days to come.