Hyderabad: Union Minister of Coal and Mines and BJP State President G Kishan Reddy announced that the BJP will play a key role in the upcoming local body elections.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Reddy addressed various topics, including development projects, local body elections, and the process of appointing party leaders. He revealed that the process of appointing district presidents is underway and is expected to be completed within a week. Only after this will the state BJP president be chosen, with the national party making the final decision. He explained that the state president could be an MP, an MLA, or even someone without any official position.
When asked about the possibility of Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender becoming the state BJP president, Reddy mentioned that Rajender is eligible, as he has contested four elections on a BJP ticket.
Addressing questions about his own chances of becoming the national party president, Reddy clarified that he is currently focused on his role as a minister and that the party leadership will decide on the national president’s appointment.
Discussing the party’s organizational structure, Reddy stated that out of approximately 700 mandal committees, around 650 have been formed so far. He highlighted the BJP’s efforts to promote inclusivity within the party, noting that over 50% of mandal committee chairpersons will be from the Backward Classes (BC) category, and more women will be appointed to leadership roles. The BJP is also implementing an internal 33% reservation for women.
He added that the BJP conducts organizational elections every three years and has introduced several changes, such as an age limit for mandal committee members to ensure younger participation. “This focus on inclusivity and youth is one of the reasons for the BJP’s strong support base, which sets us apart from other parties,” he said.
On the issue of central funds for Andhra Pradesh compared to Telangana, Reddy explained that the Centre is providing funds to Andhra Pradesh in line with the Bifurcation Act. He pointed out that Rs 11,445 crores have been allocated to the steel plant in Andhra Pradesh.
Finally, when discussing Hyderabad’s urban issues, including the removal of lake encroachments, Reddy emphasized that these challenges are not new and require consistent attention.
