When a few individuals had claimed that Telangana Health Minister Etala Rajender forcibly took away their lands, he was dismissed as the Health Minister by Telangana Chief Minister KCR, and then he was dismissed from the Legislative Assembly as well. As a result, Etala is now not an MP either.
There have been several reports suggesting that Etala was going to join the Bharatiya Jana Party, in the media, after he met with several BJP leaders. However, Etala has now clarified that he met with the BJP leaders only to seek their support for his future endeavours, and not to join the BJP. Etala said that he would continue to be an independent candidate and contest in the Huzurabad by-polls. Etala was the MP of the Huzurabad constituency until he was dismissed as an MP.
Rajender also met with other party members, and he said that he met everyone with the same objective of seeking their support for all of his future endeavours. He also said that he is planning to resign from his Assembly membership soon and that he would very soon make an announcement of his decision.
On the other hand, there have been reports that Etala was involved in a secret meeting with BJP leaders, including Party National Secretary Bhupendra Yadav and Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, at a farmhouse on the outskirts of Hyderabad, where they are said to have invited Etala to join the BJP. Kishan Reddy, however, clarified that he spoke to Etala only on the phone.