HYDERABAD: The defection of MLAs from the BRS to the Congress continues, with Rajendranagar MLA T. Prakash Goud joining the ruling party on Friday in the presence of TPCC president and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
Goud is the eighth BRS MLA to join the Congress in the past six months, reducing BRS' strength from 38 to 30 in the Legislative Assembly. Speculation is rife that Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi might join the Congress on Saturday.
The Congress, which won 64 seats in the 119-member House during the December 2023 Assembly polls, has increased its tally to 73. This includes eight BRS MLAs switching allegiance and securing the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly seat in a May bypoll.
Rumours within Congress circles suggest that five more BRS MLAs, primarily from Greater Hyderabad, may join soon. If the number of defected BRS MLAs reaches 25 by month's end, a potential merger of BRSLP with CLP could occur, as more BRS members are reportedly in talks with Congress leadership.
Following the Lok Sabha results on June 4, BRS lost five MLAs to Congress in less than a month. Notable defections include Banswada MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy on June 21, Jagtial MLA M. Sanjay Kumar on June 24, Chevella MLA Kale Yadaiah on June 28, Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy on July 6, and Rajendranagar MLA T. Prakash Goud on July 12.
Before the May Lok Sabha elections, three BRS MLAs — Danam Nagender (Khairatabad), Kadiam Srihari (Station Ghanpur), and Tellam Venkat Rao (Bhadrachalam) — joined the Congress. Additionally, six BRS MLCs switched to Congress on the night of July 4.
