Suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Raja Singh’s meeting with Telangana’s Finance and Health Minister T. Harish Rao has triggered speculations about his potential shift in loyalty to the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party. Raja Singh, who represents the Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, met with Harish Rao, a prominent leader of BRS and the nephew of party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
The meeting between the controversial MLA and Harish Rao has fueled speculation that Raja Singh might leave the BJP and join BRS ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Raja Singh had been suspended from the BJP a year ago for making comments that hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims. He was also arrested and sent to jail in connection with this case.
This meeting with Harish Rao comes at a time when the BJP’s Telangana unit is experiencing internal turmoil. The party’s central leadership recently removed Bandi Sanjay Kumar as the state party chief following demands from a section of leaders. Sanjay had been advocating for the revocation of Raja Singh’s suspension. The MLA, known for his controversial statements, has been sidelined by the party and is reportedly upset about it, leading to speculation about his potential move to BRS.
However, Raja Singh has clarified that he has no plans to leave the BJP. He claimed that his meeting with Harish Rao was solely focused on upgrading a government hospital in his constituency from 30 beds to 50 beds. Raja Singh stated that he had been making this request for a long time and had previously met with two other health ministers to discuss the matter. He had earlier denied reports of planning to contest the next Assembly elections as an independent candidate if his suspension was not lifted by the party. He stated that he would not contest the elections if his suspension was not revoked.
Raja Singh’s clarification came amid reports suggesting that he was considering contesting the Assembly elections as an independent candidate from the Amberpet constituency, which was previously represented by Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, the recently appointed state BJP president. Since his suspension by the BJP remains in place despite his response to the show cause notice, there have been rumors that the MLA might leave the party and contest the next elections as an independent candidate.
Raja Singh was arrested in August last year for making comments that hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and was subsequently sent to jail under the Preventive Detention Act. Although he was released on bail by the Telangana High Court in November, the court directed him not to make any speeches or comments that could incite hatred among communities.
