BJP Welcomes Etala Rajender

Disgruntled former minister Etala Rajender today joined the BJP fold in Delhi in the presence of several important national and state-level leaders of the party.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed Rajender into the BJP fold by offering the leader a primary membership and a party shawl. Telangana BJP in-charge Tarun Chugh also extended his greetings to the latter.

Alongside Etala Rajender, former MLA, Enugu Ravinder Reddy, former Zilla Parishad chairperson Tula Uma, RTC trade union leader Ashwathama Reddy and some Osmania University joint action committee leaders have also joined the saffron party.

Speaking to the media later, Pradhan said, "Etala Rajender has, for the past many years, played a crucial role as a member of the TRS-led state government. He has rendered his services as the Medical and Health Minister of Telangana. Our party has been strengthened with his entry into it."

Bandi Sanjay too lauded the former minister's contributions as a leader of the Telangana agitation, and said that he was happy welcoming the latter into the BJP on behalf of the state unit of the party.

"Etala Rajender has come out of the dictatorial rule of a certain political party. The BJP alone has the capacity to take on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Our party is a potent platform for the separate Telangana activists," he added.

On the occasion, Rajender himself stated, "I will not let the leaders of the BJP down in any way. I will work hard for the growth of the party in my state. I will devote myself to ensure its expansion across Telangana. The party will see a lot of new additions soon."

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, and national BJP Vice-President D K Aruna were among the other leaders present for the ceremony.

Rajender, a face popularly associated with the pink party, rebelled against the TRS government after he was ousted from the Telangana Cabinet on land grab allegations.

Before joining, he resigned from his post as Huzurabad MLA as well. Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy accepted the resignation. Secretary V Narasimha Charyulu issued a notification regarding the consequent vacancy in the Huzurabad segment.