Suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh on Friday met Telangana’s minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao, triggering speculations that he was planning to shift loyalties to ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Singh, a member of Assembly from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, called on Harish Rao, a key leader of BRS and nephew of party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
The controversial MLA’s meeting sparked speculations that he was planning to quit the BJP and join BRS ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.
Raja Singh was suspended from BJP a year ago for his comments hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims. He was also arrested and sent to jail in this case.
The meeting with Harish Rao comes at a time when BJP’s Telangana unit is witnessing turmoil. The party’s central leadership recently removed Bandi Sanjay Kumar as the state party chief following growing demands from a section of leaders.
Sanjay has been trying to convince BJP leadership to revoke Raja Singh’s suspension. The MLA, who is known for controversies, is being sidelined by the party. He is reported to be upset over this and planning to join BRS.
Meanwhile, Raja Singh clarified that he has no plans to leave the BJP. He claimed that he met Harish Rao at the latter’s residence to upgrade the 30-bed government hospital in his constituency to 50-bed hospital. The MLA said he had been making the request for a long time.
He said Harish Rao was the third health minister he met to make the same demand. He had earlier denied reports that he is planning to contest next Assembly elections as an independent candidate if his suspension was not lifted by the party.
He had stated that if his suspension was not lifted he would not contest the elections.
Raja Singh’s clarification had come amid reports that he was planning to contest the Assembly elections as an independent from Amberpet constituency in the constituency, which was earlier represented by union minister G. Kishan Reddy, who was recently appointed as the state BJP president.
Since the BJP has not lifted his suspension even after he replied to show cause notice, there were reports that the MLA is mulling to quit the party and contest the next elections as an independent candidate.
The MLA was arrested by the police in August last year for making certain comments hurting religious sentiments of Muslims.
He was sent to jail on August 25 after the Hyderabad police commissioner had invoked PD Act.
BJP had also suspended him from the party. Raja Singh was released from jail on November 9, after spending two months in jail following his arrest under the Preventive Detention Act.
The Telangana High Court had set aside the police commissioner’s order and released the MLA on bail but directed him not to make any speech or comment which created hatred among communities.