Hyderabad, July 1 (UNI) Former MLC Naraparaju Ramchander Rao was unanimously elected the new president of the Telangana BJP here on Tuesday.
Rao has replaced Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy as president of the party in the state.
National election returning officer Shobha Karandlaje declared Rao as the new president of the Telangana BJP at state party headquarters here as Rao was the only nomination filed on Monday, clearing the path for his uncontested elevation to the post.
Veteran of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the 66-year-old Rao brings to the position a rare combination of ideological clarity, legal acumen, and decades of political experience.
A courageous student leader during the volatile 1970s and 1980s, Rao rose to prominence at Osmania University by challenging the dominance of Leftist student organisations.
In an era when Naxalite ideology had entrenched itself in the student union politics of the university, Rao led the ABVP’s counter-mobilisation with grit and resolve.
Despite facing physical attacks — including a grievous assault in the university library that left him hospitalised for weeks — Rao remained undeterred and continued to fight for the nationalist cause on campus.
His association with the ABVP spanned over a decade (1977–1985), during which he also served as the state committee member and city president while pursuing his studies in law and post-graduation.
Born into a modest Brahmin family deeply rooted in the Osmania University academic community, Rao chose activism over comfort, and public service over personal safety.
Over the years, Rao transitioned seamlessly into legal and public life.
Starting his career in 1986 as a practising lawyer at the Nampally Criminal Courts and later the Andhra Pradesh High Court, he earned a reputation as one of the most respected legal voices in the state.
He was designated as a Senior Advocate in 2012, and today he represents clients across the Supreme Court, high courts, and tribunals, while continuing to provide legal support to party workers and the organisation.
Within the BJP, Rao has held several key positions, including BJYM secretary, city unit vice president, state convenor of the legal cell, national legal cell member, state general secretary, and the official party spokesperson.
His political acumen and ability to build consensus earned him a seat in the Telangana Legislative Council in 2015 from the graduates' constituency covering Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Mahbubnagar districts.
The party leadership's decision to elevate Ramchander Rao is being welcomed by senior leaders.
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