The Bharatiya Janata Party’s latest organisational reshuffle has dealt a significant blow to its Telangana unit, with the central leadership dropping all three senior national office-bearers from the State and leaving Telangana without any major representation in the party’s new national team.

The move has disappointed leaders and cadres alike, especially as senior Telangana BJP leaders had expected greater representation in the reconstituted national leadership announced by BJP president Nitin Nabin. Instead, Mahabubnagar MP D.K. Aruna, Rajya Sabha member and OBC Morcha national president K. Laxman, and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar were all removed from their respective party posts.

Mr. Laxman has been replaced as national OBC Morcha president, while Mr. Sanjay lost his position as national general secretary and charge of the farmers’ wing. Ms. Aruna was dropped as national vice-president. Their removal has fuelled speculation that the central leadership is unhappy with the functioning of the Telangana unit, which has been plagued by factionalism and leadership rivalries.

Party insiders say the reshuffle is being viewed as more than a routine organisational exercise. Over the past several months, senior Telangana leaders have held a series of meetings in Hyderabad and New Delhi in an apparent attempt to ease differences and project unity. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Mr. Laxman were among those who hosted interactions bringing together leaders who had often been at odds with one another.

According to highly placed sources, the BJP high command had become increasingly concerned over persistent infighting in the State unit. MPs and senior leaders were allegedly spending more time taking complaints against rivals to Delhi than focusing on strengthening the organisation. Public disagreements, factional lobbying and social media attacks among leaders are said to have particularly annoyed the central leadership.

Sources said the message conveyed by the party leadership was clear: leaders need to work collectively and strengthen the organisation instead of pursuing individual agendas. The reshuffle is therefore being interpreted by many as a warning from the high command to “mend their ways” and improve organisational discipline.

The disappointment is deeper because Telangana failed to secure any major place in the national structure while neighbouring Andhra Pradesh gained significant representation. Senior Andhra leaders Ram Madhav, D. Purandeswari and Vishnu Vardhan Reddy found places in the national team, triggering comparisons within BJP circles and intensifying dissatisfaction among Telangana leaders.

A senior BJP functionary acknowledged that persistent factionalism may have directly influenced the leadership’s decision. “Instead of projecting collective strength, leaders repeatedly carried their differences to Delhi. That did not go down well with the top leadership,” the leader said.

Sources said the Telangana unit had recommended names like Bangaru Shruthi, G. Premender Reddy, Kasam Venkateswarlu and Duggiyala Pradeep Rao for larger organisational roles. While some of them may still be accommodated in the national executive, morchas or various party committees, no major appointments have been announced so far.

The organisational reshuffle has also sparked speculation about a possible Union Cabinet expansion in the future, with some leaders hoping Telangana could receive compensation through ministerial positions. However, there has been no official indication from the party leadership.

State BJP president N. Ramchander Rao, however, sought to downplay concerns, saying national positions are not distributed on a State quota basis but according to organisational needs. “Appointments are made to strengthen the party nationally, not to satisfy regional expectations,” he said.

Published - August 17, 2026 10:01 pm IST