Who is T Raja Singh? Controversial Telangana BJP MLA quits party amid state leadership tussle

Upset over the possible appointment of Ramchander Rao as the BJP’s Telangana unit president, the party’s firebrand and controversial MLA Raja Singh on Monday wrote to Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, saying he is resigning from the primary membership of the saffron party. Reddy is presently the state chief and the party high command is likely to announce a new successor on Tuesday. Singh said the decision to appoint the new head of the party in the state has come as a shock and disappointment, not just to him, but to lakhs of Karyakartas (party workers), leaders, and voters who have stood by the party through every high and low.

Singh's letter to Reddy
“With great sadness, I have decided to resign from the primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). I request you, Shri Kishan Reddy ji, to kindly inform the Hon’ble Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly that T Raja Singh is no longer a member of the BJP,” Singh wrote in the letter. "There are many capable senior leaders, MLAs, and MPs within Telangana who have tirelessly worked for the growth of BJP and who have the strength, credibility, and connections to lead the party forward. Unfortunately, it appears that some individuals, driven by personal interests, have misled the central leadership and taken decisions by running the show from behind the curtain," he alleged. “This not only undermines the sacrifices of grassroots workers but risks pushing the party into avoidable setbacks,” he said. He added that he has been a dedicated Karyakarta, elected three times in a row with the blessings of the people and support of the party.

Who is T Raja Singh?
Thakur Raja Singh, aged 48, has served as an MLA from the Goshamahal Assembly constituency in Hyderabad since 2014. A controversial leader, Singh was suspended from the BJP in August 2022 for his remarks on Prophet Muhammad, but his suspension was revoked in October of next year to allow him to contest the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly elections. Singh reportedly has more than 100 criminal cases lodged against him, many of them related to communal offences.