The sudden lull in the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party camp after the party’s debacle in Karnataka assembly elections in May has not only demoralised the party cadre but also put tremendous pressure on state BJP president Bandi Sanjay.
There have been no major activities in the party for now and the cancellation of Union home minister Amit Shah’s meeting on June 15 has further dampened the spirts of the party leaders and cadre.
Added to this, the internal wrangling within the party caused by leaders like Eatala Rajender has created some kind of confusion among the party cadre.
Now, speculations are rife that some BJP leaders are contemplating joining the Congress soon.
Several leaders, who joined the BJP from the Congress and other rival parties, are preparing to jump ship to return to the grand old party very soon.
This has not gone down well with the BJP central leadership which has summoned party State president Bandi Sanjay to Delhi for discussions.
There are reports that former MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and a few other leaders have made up their mind to join the Congress.
Sources said the party high command has also expressed displeasure over Sanjay’s failure to convince Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao, suspended from the BRS, to join the BJP.
The high command was reportedly furious with the State leadership as reports were coming that the duo would be joining Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi on June 25.
They would hold a joint public meeting at Khammam on July 2, sources said.
The BJP State leadership tried very hard to convince the duo to join the party, but failed in their mission.
BJP Huzurabad MLA and party joining committee chairman Eatala Rajender and Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy met both the leaders and tried to convince them to join the saffron brigade, but they did not show much interest and after the Karnataka poll results, they made up their mind to join the Congress.
According to party sources, Sanjay briefed the BJP high command on the current situation of the party in the State and the steps to be taken to strengthen the party in the coming days to fight the upcoming polls.
He also reportedly urged the party leadership to hold public meetings of senior leaders, including union Home Minister Amit Shah in the State, to instil confidence among the cadre.