Warangal (Telangana): A relatively low-profile politician, Bandi Sanjay rose to become the BJP's firebrand in Telangana with his vocal criticism of BRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. For the saffron brigade, Bandi Sanjay even kindled a sort of new hope to achieve their long-unfulfilled goal to come to power in the State.
Telangana has always been a hard nut for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The State seemed to have strong potential for the Hindutva forces considering the experiences of the local populations under the erstwhile Nizams and during the Razakars' oppression. But the saffron party could never come anywhere close to winning power here.
In this context, the 2023 Telangana Elections are fast approaching - just seven months away. This time, the BJP is making a serious bid to power as its primary goal and its secondary goal is apparently to occupy the second place thus pushing the Congress to a third. Several days ahead of PM Modi's April 8 visit to the State, BJP State President Bandi Sanjai was arrested, which is seen as yet another instance of political upmanship.
Here're 10 points:
- Amid high tension, a huge police force laid siege and detained Bandi Sanjay on Tuesday midnight from his late mother-in-law's residence in Karimnagar. He was charged with masterminding the Hindi SSC paper leak to defame the State government. He was later lodged in the Karimnagar jail.
- Hanamokonda Chief Munsif Magistrate Court granted conditional bail to Bandi Sanjay, asking him not to leave the country without permission and cooperate with the investigating authorities along with a personal surety of Rs 20,000.
- The KCR-led BRS government has been losing credibility which is why the ruling party in Telangana is performing these stunts, the BJP leaders claimed.
- Bandi was granted bail after he along with three others was sent to judicial remand up to April 19th in the 10th class paper leak case.
- The Police levelled against the BJP MP the charges of trying to tarnish the image of the KCR-led BRS Government by masterminding the SSC paper leak.
- However, on Thursday late night, Bandi Sanjay was granted bail since 'no evidence' was submitted except for some information in the public domain.
- Bandi Sanjay's lawyers threatened to launch contempt proceedings against the investigative officer in the 10th class paper leak case for violating the Supreme Court guidelines.
- BJP State president's arrest came just a few days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Telangana scheduled for April 8 to launch over Rs 11,000 crore worth projects besides flagging of the State's second Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Tirupati. The first one was between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam.
- A case was registered against Bandi under various sections of the IPC and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Malpractices at the Kamlapur police station in Warangal. Incidentally, the BJP MP's arrest came nearly a fortnight after CM KCR's daughter and BRS MLC Kavitha was summoned and grilled by the ED at their Delhi office in the Delhi liquor policy case.
- Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and Union Minister Smriti Irani spoke to Bandi Sanjay after he was released from jail. Party's national leaders including Tarun Chugh and Sunil Bansal also spoke to him. Bandi offered prayers at a temple after his release.
