Tasked to oversee various poll-related activities, the panels were named screening committee, agitation committee, chargesheet committee, manifesto committee, coordination committee, public meeting committee, publicity committee, among others.

The leaders who missed the PM’s rally include former MPs Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and G. Vivek Venkatswamy, former actress and MP Vijayashanthi, former MP G. Vijaya Rama Rao and former MLA Enugu Ravinder Reddy.

The BJP’s formation of committees has also been spurred by the impression created among a section of state leaders that the party has an “understanding” with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in the state.

Elections are due in Telangana in the next two months and the BJP, which is leading the central government, is aiming to dislodge the K. Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS government that has been in power since 2014. The Congress is also in the fray as a key opponent.

Since 24 September, many of the disgruntled leaders have held separate meetings to discuss the future course of action in Telangana, BJP sources told ThePrint, adding that “many leaders believe there is a tacit understanding between the BRS and BJP”.

“This is likely to push the BJP into the third spot in the state. However, PM Modi Sunday (1 October) tried to clear the air by saying the BJP has refused BRS entry into the National Democratic Alliance and that it can’t take a dynastic corrupt party into the fold,” said a source.

According to Vishweshwar Reddy, the impression of a deal between the BJP and the BRS was created “because of expectation that K. Kavitha will be arrested in the Delhi liquor scam”.

BRS leader Kavitha, the daughter of the Telangana CM, is being  by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case.

Reddy also blamed the Congress for putting the idea of a BJP-BRS understanding into the people’s minds. “The PM has tried to clear the confusion but the Congress has been able to put the idea into people’s mind that there is tacit understanding between the two parties,” 

The BJP has over the last few years inducted several  as well as the Congress into its Telangana unit. It has also battled intense factionalism in the unit under former state president Bandi Sanjay.

Succumbing to pressure from the anti-Bandi Sanjay lobby, the party in July  with Union minister G. Kishan Reddy. Further, Eatala Rajender, MLA and former minister who had threatened to resign from the BJP if Sanjay was not replaced, was made the chairman of the election management committee.

However, many state leaders were still said to be sulking, despite the changes, and have now been put in charge of these new committees.

“The party is expecting a more cohesive fight against the BRS now,” said the source mentioned earlier.

A senior Telangana BJP leader admitted that the BJP had been “facing different challenges in Telangana and had lost momentum after (defeat in) the Karnataka election”.

“But we have made another attempt to gain the lost space by replacing Sanjay. The more amiable Kishan Reddy was brought in to lead the state unit, Eatala was made chairman of the poll committee, and now we have placated other leaders by handing them different committees. This should bring peace now,” he told ThePrint.

A state vice-president further said that the “Congress was in an advantageous position right now in Telangana”, adding that “the PM’s attack on the BRS (at his rally) will energise the cadre”.