Bandi Sanjay Kumar
{{short description|Indian politician (born 1971)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Bandi Sanjay Kumar
| image = Sanjay Bandi Bjp.png
| alt =
| caption = Sanjay Kumar at a public meeting in 2022
| office1 = Minister of State for Home Affairs
| term_start1 = 11 June 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor1 = Nisith Pramanik
| office2 =3rd President of Bharatiya Janata Party Telangana
| term_start2 = 11 March 2020
| term_end2 = 4 July 2023
| predecessor2 = K. Laxman
| successor2 = G. Kishan Reddy
| constituency3 = Karimnagar
| office3 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
| term_start3 = 23 May 2019
| predecessor3 = B. Vinod Kumar
| successor =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1971|07|11}}
| birth_place = Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh ({{small|Present-day Telangana}}), India
| parents =
| party =
| otherparty =
| residence = Karimnagar, Telangana, India
| education = MA (public admn) - (discontinued)
| alma_mater = Madurai Kamaraj University
| occupation =
| profession = Business
| spouse = Aparna
| cabinet =
| committees =
| portfolio =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website = {{URL|bandisanjaybjp.in}}
| footnotes =
| data2 =
| blank4 =
| data4 =
| blank5 =
| nickname =
| allegiance =
| branch =
| serviceyears =
| rank =
| unit =
| commands =
| battles =
| awards =
| military_blank1 =
| military_data1 =
| military_blank2 =
| military_data2 =
| military_blank3 =
| military_data3 =
| military_blank4 =
| military_data4 =
| military_blank5 =
| military_data5 =
| date =
| year =
| source = https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5076?from=amembers
| 1blankname1 = Prime Minister
| 1namedata1 = Narendra Modi
| 2blankname1 = Minister
| 2namedata1 = Amit Shah
}}
Bandi Sanjay Kumar (born 11 July 1971) is an Indian politician who is appointed as Minister of State for Home Affairs is a Member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, representing the Karimnagar constituency since 2019. He is the former state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana from 11 March 2020 to 4 July 2023.{{cite news |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2020/mar/12/karimnagar-mp-bandi-sanjay-kumar-appointed-as-bjp-telangana-president-2115646.html |title=Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar appointed as BJP Telangana president |work=The New Indian Express |first=R Pridhvi |last=Raj | date=12 March 2020 | access-date=1 December 2020}} He is All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibinagar board member.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-09 |title=Meet Bandi Sanjay Kumar, BJP's Hindutva Firebrand Leader From Telangana Takes Oath As Minister |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/meet-bandi-sanjay-kumar-bjps-hindutva-firebrand-leader-from-telangana-takes-oath-as-minister-article-110847556 |access-date=2024-06-11 |work=Times Now}} He was named as National General Secretary on 29 July 2023 by the BJP National President.{{Cite news |title=BJP new list of National Office Bearers; Bandi Sanjay general secretary, C T Ravi dropped |work=Deccan Herald |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/bjp-new-list-of-national-office-bearers-bandi-sanjay-general-secretary-c-t-ravi-dropped-1241851.html}}
Early life and education
Bandi Sanjay Kumar was born on 11 July 1971 to B. Narsayya and B. Sakuntala.{{Cite web |url=https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5076?from=amembers |title=Shri Sanjay Kumar Bandi |publisher=Lok Sabha}} He completed his secondary schooling at Sri Saraswathi Shishumandir Unnata paathashaala, in Karimnagar, in 1986. He was also active in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as a youth, joining the organization at the age of twelve.{{Cite web |url=https://www.andhrajyothy.com/elections/prajatantram_biography?PLID=324 |title=Bandi Sanjay |website=andhrajyothy.com|access-date=19 October 2019 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813175337/https://www.andhrajyothy.com/elections/prajatantram_biography?PLID=324|url-status=dead}}
Political career
Kumar was involved with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad,{{cite news |url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/with-aggressive-hindutva-push-fierce-oratory-style-bandi-sanjay-kumar-shoulders-bjps-telangana-dreams-5838787.html |title=With Aggressive Hindutva Push, Fierce Oratory Style, Bandi Sanjay Kumar Shoulders BJP's Telangana Dreams |work=News18 India |first=Kakoli |last=Mukherjee |date=29 August 2022 |access-date=8 April 2023}} eventually became town president and a state executive member of the organization. He also occupied leadership positions in this organization, becoming "town secretary, town president, national secretary of Kerala and incharge of Tamil Nadu." In 1996, during BJP leader LK Advani's Surat Rath Yatra, he campaigned across India for 35 days.{{Cite book|title=Religion, Caste, and Politics in India|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|publisher=Primus Books|year=2010|isbn=978-93-80607-04-7|location=India|pages=334}}
Kumar was elected a municipal corporator for Karimnagar's 48th division in 2005, and served in this role until his resignation in 2019, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha.{{Cite news |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/260519/karimnagar-elected-mp-bandi-sanjay-kumar-quits-as-corporator.html |title=Karimnagar: Elected MP, Bandi Sanjay Kumar quits as corporator |date=26 May 2019 |work=Deccan Chronicle |access-date=29 May 2019}} He was also fielded by the BJP in 2014 and 2018 as its candidate for the state assembly elections; he contested the Karimnagar seat both times. He was, however, unsuccessful in both elections, and lost to the Bharat Rashtra Samiti's Gangula Kamalakar.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/bjps-bandi-sanjay-springs-a-surprise/article27228564.ece |title=BJP's Bandi Sanjay springs a surprise |last=Dayashankar |first=K. m |date=24 May 2019 |work=The Hindu |access-date=29 May 2019 |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
In the 2019 Indian general election, Kumar was fielded by the BJP from the Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency. He contested against the incumbent Member of Parliament, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's B. Vinod Kumar, and the Indian National Congress' Ponnam Prabhakar.{{Cite news |last=Pavan |first=P. |date=May 28, 2019 |title=Telangana Rashtra Samithi sees Modi wave eating into its votes; to adopt issue based approach with BJP |url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/telangana-rashtra-samithi-sees-modi-wave-eating-into-its-votes-to-adopt-issue-based-approach-with-bjp/articleshow/69549014.cms |access-date=29 May 2019 |work=Mumbai Mirror}} He was elected by a margin of 89,508 votes.{{Cite web|url=http://results.eci.gov.in/pc/en/trends/statewiseS291.htm?st=S291|title=General Election 2019 – Election Commission of India|website=results.eci.gov.in|access-date=29 May 2019|archive-date=4 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604055839/http://results.eci.gov.in/pc/en/trends/statewiseS291.htm?st=S291|url-status=dead}} His election was considered something of a surprise due to the BJP's prior lack of significant strength in Telangana,{{Cite news |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2019/apr/10/bjp-sees-potential-for-its-growth-in-ts-1962515.html |title=BJP sees potential for its growth in Telangana |work=The New Indian Express |access-date=29 May 2019}} as well as the fact that both his major opponents were politically well-established. With his election to the Lok Sabha, Bandi became one of four Bharatiya Janata Party MPs from Telangana, a historic first for the party.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/lok-sabha-election-2019/beginning-of-bjp-era-in-telangana-735821.html|title=Beginning of BJP era in Telangana|date=24 May 2019|work=Deccan Herald |access-date=29 May 2019}}
On 4 July 2023, Kumar stepped down as Telangana party president, and on 21 July he was replaced by G. Kishan Reddy.{{Cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/g-kishan-reddy-assumes-charge-as-president-of-telangana-bjp-vows-to-lead-party-to-victory-in-next-elections-101689965988995.html |title=G Kishan Reddy takes over as Telangana BJP president |date=22 July 2023 |work=Hindustan Times}}
On July 30, 2023 Kumar was announced as National General Secretary for BJP,{{Cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mixed-reactions-as-bandi-sanjay-appointed-bjp-national-general-secretary-in-telangana-senior-leaders-express-concerns-101690656542825.html |title=Bandi Sanjay Kumar appointed BJP’s national general secretary |date=30 July 2023 |work=Hindustan Times}} and on 4 August 2023 he took up the post.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ap7am.com/vn/377090/bandi-sanjay-takes-charge-as-bjp-national-general-secretary|title=Bandi Sanjay takes charge as BJP National General Secretary|date=4 August 2023|website=ap7am.com}}
He was appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs on 9 June 2024.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/narendra-modi-cabinet-2024-live-updates-june-10-2024/article68272768.ece |title=Modi 3.0 Live Updates: Amit Shah retains Home, Rajnath gets Defence, Nadda gets Health |date=10 June 2024 |work=The Hindu}}
=Exam paper leak case=
In April 2023, Kumar and three others were arrested on charges of being involved in the question paper leak case of Telangana State Board's class ten examinations.{{cite news |date=6 April 2023 |title=Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar named prime accused in SSC paper leak case, sent to judicial custody till April 19 |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/telangana-bjp-chief-bandi-sanjay-kumar-named-prime-accused-in-ssc-paper-leak-case-sent-to-judicial-custody-till-april-19/articleshow/99276161.cms |access-date=9 May 2023}}{{cite magazine |last=Jayachandran |first=Apoorva |title=Bandi Sanjay Kumar prime accused, confessed in the Telangana paper leak case: Police |magazine=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/telangana-paper-leak-case-bandi-sanjay-confessed-to-conspiracy-named-prime-accused-2356110-2023-04-05}}
On the day of his arrest, the police shared a few of the WhatsApp chats shared between accused 1 (Kumar) and accused 2 (Prashant), in the case. The Warangal Police Commissioner said : "Bandi Sanjay's phone is missing but we will retrieve WhatsApp messages and conversations very soon. They have deleted a few messages, call logs/call data, we will retrieve all those details."
On 7 April, Kumar was released on bail. In a statement on his release, he accused the police of incompetence, and demanded a judicial probe into the paper leak.{{Cite news |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/070423/freed-from-jail-bandi-demands-judicial-probe-into-ssc-paper-leaks.html |title=Freed from jail, Bandi demands judicial probe into SSC paper leak |date=8 April 2023 |work=Deccan Chronicle}}
BJP national president J. P. Nadda and national general secretary Tarun Chugh said that Kumar's arrest was part of a conspiracy to defame the BJP for the SSC paper leak.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/sanjays-arrest-is-part-of-conspiracy-to-defame-bjp-for-ssc-paper-leak/article66702807.ece |title=Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay’s arrest is part of conspiracy to defame BJP for SSC paper leak: Senior party leaders |date=5 April 2023 |work=The Hindu}}
Family
=Criminal activities=
In January 2023 Kumar's son Bandi Bhageerath had multiple charges registered against him for beating up a fellow student in his college.{{cite news |title=Criminal case against Bandi Sanjay's son for slapping batchmate, video goes viral |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/criminal-case-against-bandi-sanjays-son-for-slapping-batchmate-video-goes-viral/articleshow/97074849.cms |work=The Times of India |date=19 January 2023}}{{cite news |title=Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay’s son booked for assaulting batchmate, MP claims political vendetta |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/hyderabad/telangana-bjp-president-bandi-sanjay-son-booked-assault-political-vendetta-8388893/ |work=The Indian Express |date=18 January 2023}} In March 2023, the Telangana High Court issued a stay of Bandi Bhageerath's suspension from college, and the student whom he had attacked said that he had forgiven Kumar's son over the incident.{{Cite web |url=https://telugu.samayam.com/telangana/hyderabad/telangana-high-court-stayed-the-suspension-of-bandi-bhagirath-from-mahendra-university/articleshow/98991746.cms |title=Bandi Bhageerath: బండి సంజయ్ కుమారుడికి హైకోర్టులో ఊరట |website=Samayam |lang=te}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://sansad.in/ls/members/biography/5076?from=amembers Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]
{{17th LS members from Telangana}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Bandi Sanjay}}
Category:Lok Sabha members from Telangana
Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Telangana
Category:People from Karimnagar