Hyderabad: The BJP top brass led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have — more or less — veered to the idea of fielding newcomers in Telangana in next year’s general elections.
This confidence is primarily attributed to the recent triumph of six party candidates (out of eight MLAs) in the recent assembly elections. Sources said the party leadership is planning to adopt a similar strategy for the Lok Sabha polls which are likely to be held in April 2024.T Raja Singh was the only known face who has retained his seat from Goshamahal, while six other party MLAs are rank newcomers.
As the saffron party wants to better its 2019 performance of four MP seats, sources said the top brass had shown a great deal of interest in potential candidates and compiled a list of them based on their own surveys. A few days ago, a national-level meeting of party leaders on bracing up for the general elections was held. “After getting a list of some new candidates, top leaders sought additional inputs on these candidates from the state leadership. It would mean that some big guns may be missing from the action in 2024,” a source in the party said.
This strategy runs counter to the BJP’s time-tested process of holding the parliamentary board meeting to select the candidates after the state unit submits three candidates’ names from each segment.
“During Shah’s visit on Thursday, more light will be shed on the top brass’s line of thought. Among four sitting MPs, at least one or two may not be in the race,” a source privy to the developments said.
Among BJP’s eight MLAs, six are fresh faces. Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, who won against former minister A Indrakaran Reddy from Nirmal constituency, is a second-time MLA but he contested for the first time on a BJP ticket in the November 30 elections.
“There will be intense competition among the seniors for the Lok Sabha seats. At least, 2-3 seats will be given to women. Young leaders like Rani Rudrama Reddy who took on former minister KT Rama Rao in Sircilla and former BJP president Bangaru Laxman’s daughter, Bangaru Shruti, are very much under consideration,” said a source.
This confidence is primarily attributed to the recent triumph of six party candidates (out of eight MLAs) in the recent assembly elections. Sources said the party leadership is planning to adopt a similar strategy for the Lok Sabha polls which are likely to be held in April 2024.T Raja Singh was the only known face who has retained his seat from Goshamahal, while six other party MLAs are rank newcomers.
As the saffron party wants to better its 2019 performance of four MP seats, sources said the top brass had shown a great deal of interest in potential candidates and compiled a list of them based on their own surveys. A few days ago, a national-level meeting of party leaders on bracing up for the general elections was held. “After getting a list of some new candidates, top leaders sought additional inputs on these candidates from the state leadership. It would mean that some big guns may be missing from the action in 2024,” a source in the party said.
This strategy runs counter to the BJP’s time-tested process of holding the parliamentary board meeting to select the candidates after the state unit submits three candidates’ names from each segment.
“During Shah’s visit on Thursday, more light will be shed on the top brass’s line of thought. Among four sitting MPs, at least one or two may not be in the race,” a source privy to the developments said.
Among BJP’s eight MLAs, six are fresh faces. Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, who won against former minister A Indrakaran Reddy from Nirmal constituency, is a second-time MLA but he contested for the first time on a BJP ticket in the November 30 elections.
“There will be intense competition among the seniors for the Lok Sabha seats. At least, 2-3 seats will be given to women. Young leaders like Rani Rudrama Reddy who took on former minister KT Rama Rao in Sircilla and former BJP president Bangaru Laxman’s daughter, Bangaru Shruti, are very much under consideration,” said a source.