Etela-Bandi Feud Threatens Party’s Ascent

The Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is teetering on the edge of a self-inflicted implosion, as the simmering rivalry between Malkajgiri MP Etela Rajender and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay erupted into a public spectacle on Saturday, What began as a quiet power struggle has escalated into a full-blown crisis, with Etela’s fiery tirade against an unnamed “psycho” and “sadist” leader—read Bandi Sanjay—laying bare the deep factionalism threatening the party’s unity ahead of critical local body elections. The question now is whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP high command will intervene to douse the flames or let the Telangana unit burn itself out.

At the heart of this clash is a classic tale of ego, ambition, and competing visions for dominance in Telangana’s political landscape. Etela Rajender, a seasoned politician with a storied history in the state, unleashed an emotional and scathing attack during a gathering of hundreds of BJP workers at his Puduru residence in Medchal district. His target? A malicious social media campaign he alleges is designed to undermine him and his loyalists in Huzurabad, his political stronghold.

Without naming Bandi Sanjay, Etela’s choice of words—“psycho,” “sadist,” “rascal”—left little doubt about his intended mark. “I don’t stab people and hug them,” he declared, contrasting his direct approach with what he implied was Bandi’s duplicity. “I will treat the upcoming local body elections as a matter of prestige. Those responsible will pay the price.”

 Etela’s outburst was provoked by Bandi’s recent visit to Huzurabad, where the Union Minister of State for Home made pointed remarks that ignited the fuse. Speaking at a cycle distribution event, Bandi dismissed factionalism in the party but took a sharp jab at “some people” who allegedly worked to reduce BJP’s vote share in Huzurabad during the Lok Sabha elections. “We don’t give tickets to those who work for individuals,” he warned, clearly targeting Etela’s loyalists. The remarks stung, as Huzurabad workers, fiercely loyal to Etela for decades, felt sidelined and uninvited to the event, fuelling their discontent. Posts on X echoed this sentiment, with one user noting the resignation of Huzurabad convenor Mada Goutham Reddy, who quit in protest over the “Etela group” being ignored.

The roots of this feud trace back to a long-standing power struggle. Etela, a former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) heavyweight who joined the BJP in 2021 after a bitter fallout with KCR, feels marginalized despite his contributions to building the party’s cadre in Huzurabad. He credits himself with transforming the BJP’s presence in the region, claiming, “Was there any cadre for BJP before in Huzurabad? BJP secured a 50,000-vote majority in Karimnagar only after I joined.” Yet, his ambitions for a leadership role—either as state president or a projected chief ministerial face—have been repeatedly thwarted, reportedly due to Bandi’s influence and the BJP high command’s preference for RSS-rooted leaders.

Bandi Sanjay, a firebrand with deep RSS ties, embodies the BJP’s ideological core. His tenure as state president from 2020 to 2023 saw the party gain traction, notably in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections, where it won 48 of 150 seats. However, his aggressive Hindutva rhetoric and combative style have clashed with Etela’s more pragmatic, development-focused approach, rooted in his Telangana statehood movement days. The tension peaked when Bandi was replaced as state president by G. Kishan Reddy in 2023, a move some attribute to Etela’s lobbying, though it failed to secure him the top post.

The latest flashpoint is Etela’s stance on the Kaleshwaram project, which he described as a “great project” built with cabinet approval—a position that stunned the BJP leadership, given the party’s consistent labelling of it as a scam. Bandi seized the opportunity, reaffirming, “Modi’s opinion is the party’s stand. It was a scam.” This divergence has only deepened the rift, with Etela’s remarks seen as softening his stance against the BRS, raising suspicions about his loyalty.

The BJP high command, wary of the damage, appointed N. Ramachander Rao as state president in a bid to stabilize the unit. Rao, a disciplined RSS veteran, has urged leaders to air grievances internally rather than on public platforms. But his calls for unity seem to be falling on deaf ears, as the Etela-Bandi spat shows no signs of abating. The public nature of this conflict—amplified by social media and resignations—threatens to derail the BJP’s momentum in Telangana, where it recently won 8 of 17 Lok Sabha seats, signaling its growing clout.

So, will Modi act? The Prime Minister, along with Home Minister Amit Shah, has a history of intervening decisively in state units to quell dissent. Shah’s 2023 meetings with Etela and other disgruntled leaders aimed to project a united front, but the current escalation suggests those efforts were temporary bandages. The BJP cannot afford a fractured unit as it eyes local body elections and aims to position itself as a viable alternative to the ruling Congress and a declining BRS. X posts reflect the dilemma facing Modi and Shah, with one user noting the challenge of balancing Etela’s administrative experience and voter base with Bandi’s ideological loyalty.