State BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said the party has the right and freedom to decide whether Dattatreya is needed in the organisation or the government.
"It is the party which decided that Dattatreya should be in the Union Council of Ministers. It is the prime minister who appointed him (in 2014)," he told reporters here.
Dattatreya, the BJP Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, held the charge of the labour ministry (Independent) prior to yesterday's Cabinet reshuffle.
"The withdrawal of Dattatreya (from the Modi ministry) is painful. The resignation of sole BJP MP for Telangana people (from the saffron party) is painful for all," Rao said.
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Dattatreya's resignation has been criticised by some leaders of opposition Congress and others on the ground that Telangana has been deprived of representation in the Union council of ministers.
Observing that ministers represent the government, Rao said there was no rule that there should be representation for states. There have been occasions when certain states did not have representation in the Council of Ministers.
She is the first full-time woman defence minister.
Describing her appointment as "historic", he said the move is "women empowerment in action".
Meanwhile, the BJP spokesperson condemned the TRS government over the self-immolation bid by two youths near Karimnagar allegedly in protest against the demand for a bribe by a village revenue officer yesterday.
The two men allegedly tried self-immolation in front of the office of Manakondur legislator at Timmapur near Karimnagar to protest against the demand for a bribe made by the village revenue officer.