Telangana’s former Health Minister Eatala Rajender met BJP National President JP Nadda in New Delhi on Monday, triggering speculation that he would join the national party soon. Speculations have been rife since Eatala, a senior Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, was ousted from the state cabinet by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, after allegations of land grabbing surfaced against him. According to reports, the meeting lasted for around 45 minutes, and Eatala was accompanied by former MLA Yenugu Ravinder Reddy, Telangana state BJP senior leader G Vivek and state party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, besides state affairs in-charge, Tarun Chugh.
As per media reports, Eatala explained to Nadda on how he and his family were targeted by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao under the ‘guise’ of land grabbing allegations and he also explained his political history in Telangana. Reports further added that Nadda had extended an offer to Rajender and Ravinder Reddy into the BJP and assured that their seniority would be respected if they join the party.
The Deccan Chronicle reported that Eatala was asked by Nadda to resign as Huzurabad Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and then join the BJP. These developments are likely to take place in the first week of June. According to reports, there is also a meeting scheduled with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard.
Eatala was ousted from the cabinet amid allegations of land encroachment of 66 acres of assigned land by the Jamuna Hatcheries Private Limited owned by Eatala’s family. He was removed from his post of Health Minister amid the peak of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, following which the health portfolio was taken over by the Chief Minister. A senior leader with a sizable voter base, Eatala has been visited by several political players in Telangana including leaders of the Congress and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) chief Kodandaram, since his fallout with the TRS.