Congress Steps Up Its Plans, Moves Fast to Get KK, Kadiam, Kavya Into Its Fold

Hyderabad: The Congress on Friday made quick moves to cement the process of senior BRS leaders K. Keshava Rao and Kadiyam Srihari joining the party. The action-packed Friday morning saw Keshava Rao calling on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and soon after a delegation of Congress leaders called on Srihari inviting him formally into the party.

These two meetings were followed by announcements by the two leaders that they intend to join the Congress from the BRS. The BRS hit back at them with its working president K.T. Rama Rao saying the party was not perturbed at some leaders “hopping away,” and vowed to build a fresh leadership in the party.

Keshava Rao, who on Thursday met with BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao to inform him of his intent to quit the party, on Friday morning met with Revanth Reddy at the latter’s residence. Among those who accompanied Keshava Rao were former TPCC secretary Dr C. Rohin Reddy, AICC in-charge for the state Deepa Das Munshi, and others. Keshava Rao discussed his joining the Congress and was warmly welcomed by Revanth Reddy.

Soon after, a team of senior Congress leaders that included Deepa Das Munshi, Mallu Ravi, S.A. Sampath Kumar, and Dr Rohin Reddy along with a few other Congress leaders called on Srihari at his residence to invite him to join the Congress along with his daughter Dr Kadiam Kavya. Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Srihari indicated that all was set for him and his daughter to join the Congress.

It is reliably learned that a key person who played an active role in the developments that have shaken the BRS was Dr. Rohin Reddy, Khairatabad District Congress Committee president. He is also said to have played a key role in BRS Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender’s decision to join the Congress.

Amidst the news of Keshava Rao and Srihari’s departure, Rama Rao took to X to declare that the people would teach a fitting lesson to those “hopping off” to other parties, and recalled how BRS chief Chandrashekar Rao had built a “tsunami from nothing and made Telangana state possible.”

“A leader with courage and who withstood several insults, and overcame many conspiracies will be kept in their hearts by the people and protected. We will create a new solid leadership and march forward,” Rama Rao said.

Both Rama Rao and senior leader T. Harish Rao, addressing the party’s Lok Sabha constituency-level meetings on Friday, refrained from launching frontal attacks on Keshava Rao and Srihari. Rama Rao said he would not say much and leave the matter to the wisdom of those leaving the party while Harish Rao said the actions of those leaving the party were as bad as doing severe injustice to their mothers. He also declared that those who have left the party will never be allowed back into the BRS fold.