Hyderabad:Senior BJP leader N. Ramachandra Rao will succeed Union Minister G Kishan Reddy as the party’s state chief.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, the returning officer for Monday’s Telangana State BJP chief’s elections, said that only Rao, a former MLC, had filed his candidature for the post
An active student leader with the ABVP at Osmania University, Rao is from a generation of OU who rose to the pinnacles in their political careers.
Meanwhile, until the close of nominations for the post, the only other name doing the rounds was that of Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender. However, Rao’s unwavering loyalty to the party seems to have tilted the scales in his favour, including winning the support of senior party leaders. Reportedly, the party’s Central leadership was also in his favour.
In his OU days, when the campus was the hub of leftist organizations, Rao was their target given his successful efforts to build a strong ABVP on the campus. He eventually became the president of ABVP.
He transitioned into building a legal career as an advocate in 1986. He practised before the Nampally Metropolitan Courts, and the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Currently, he practices in the Supreme Court, High Courts, and tribunals. His legal experience is coming in handy for the party across cases.
His political journey started in 1986 when he joined the BJP and contested as a corporator from the Ravindranagar division in Hyderabad. Over the years, he has held various key positions within the party, besides playing a significant role in the BJP state legal cell.
Rao was the party’s chief spokesperson from 2012 to 2015,. He was elected to the Legislative Council from the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahabubnagar Graduate Constituency and served as the floor leader until 2021. He held the position of BJP Hyderabad City President.
Known for bringing together party workers and leaders from both old and new schools of thought, he is respected within the BJP and broader political circles.
Meanwhile, Ramachandra Rao thanked the party for reposing trust in his leadership abilities.