BRS on Alert to Check Exodus of Leaders into Congress

Hyderabad: The BRS top brass has sprung into action to check the exodus of party leaders to the Congress, against the backdrop of two former leaders, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Jupally Krishna, and two MLCs, Patnam Mahender Reddy and Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy, planning to join the Congress soon.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is learnt to have roped in working president K.T. Rama Rao and minister T. Harish Rao to speak to disgruntled leaders to ensure that they stay with the BRS.

Party sources said that the BRS is facing an exodus-like situation in 12 Assembly constituencies, from where Congress MLAs and TDP MLAs defected to BRS after the 2018 Assembly polls.

While BRS leaders who lost the polls in these constituencies opposed their entry into the party, the leadership placated them by promising them nominated posts. However, while some leaders were accommodated in nominated posts, most were left in the lurch. They are currently looking to make the most of the situation by demanding tickets or threatening to join the Congress.

These constituencies are Asifabad, Yellareddy, Yellandu, Pinapaka, Bhupalapalle, Kothagudem, Tandur, Palair, Nakrekal, Maheshwaram, Kollapur and LB Nagar. Congress MLAs from these 12 seats had defected to the BRS within six months of the 2018 polls. TDP MLAs from Sathupalli and Aswaraopeta also joined the BRS in April 2021.

The 14 MLAs from Congress and TDP who joined BRS claim that the party leadership has assured tickets to them for upcoming Assembly polls and asked them to step up activities in their respective constituencies. This has led to confrontations between the MLAs and the senior BRS leaders.

Sources said that the BRS is seeking to check the influence of Congress, which is currently riding high following its successful showing in the Karnataka elections, prompting disgruntled leaders of not only the BRS but also the BJP to approach the party.

The BRS leadership, at a time of national expansion and Lok Sabha polls soon after the state Assembly polls, does not wish to be pushed into a defensive mode, leaders said.