CM Revanth Reddy meets former Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy

With this, the Congress seems to have started operation ‘Akarash’ to invite BRS MLAs to join the party. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy was also present during the meeting.

The Chief Minister’s meeting with Pocharam Srinivas Reddy assumed significance in the wake of rumours that several BRS MLAs are planning to join Congress shortly. The BRS’s defeat in the Assembly elections along with drubbing in the recently conducted Lok Sabha elections prompting party MLAs to join Congress.

Interacting with media persons at the residence of Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Revanth Reddy confirmed the former joined the Congress to strive for the welfare of farmers in the State. The Congress government would take his advice in any policy decision related to farmers to be taken in future, he said.

“We will take the assistance of Pocharam Srinivas Reddy for completing the pending projects in Nizamabad. He will also get a suitable post,” Revanth Reddy said, adding that a decision on preparing guidelines to waive off farmers would be taken during today’s Cabinet meeting.

Pocharam Srinivas Reddy won from Banswada Assembly constituency defeating Congress candidate Enugu Ravinder Reddy with a margin of 23,464 votes in 2023 Assembly elections.

Pocharam Srinivas Reddy previously served as the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly from January 2019 to 2023. He was the Minister of Agriculture from 2014 to 2019 during the BRS regime. He joined Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1984 after quitting Congress and worked as a minister twice in the TDP government. He was with TDP for 27 years before quitting and joining the BRS.