Former TRS minister Etela Rajender resigns as MLA, set to join BJP

Senior TRS leader and former Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajedner has tendered his resignation as MLA.

A few days ago he relinquished the party membership also.

Rajender, who represents Huzurabad constituency, was one of the senior leaders of the ruling TRS.

"I wanted to submit the resignation letter directly to the Speaker. But I could not meet him.

So under the circumstances, I had to handover my resignation to the Assembly Secretary," Rajender said.

Before submitting his resignation letter, Rajender told reporters though many of his well-wishers advised him against quitting, he was doing so for the sake of the self-esteem of the people of his constituency and Telangana.

According to sources close to Rajender, he is set to join the BJP on June 14 in the presence of party's president JP Nadda in the national capital.

"He had already met the senior leadership of BJP. The high command invited him into the party," they told PTI.

Apart from Rajender, a few TRS leaders are also set to join the saffron party.

Rajender was shunted out of the cabinet last month following complaints that firms owned by his family members grabbed assigned lands in the state.