As BRS scrambles to stem defections, crucial leaders who have jumped ship to Congress, BJP
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Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), recognised for its intense recruitment of legislators from several events throughout its two phrases since 2014, is now going through a wave of defections in Telangana. BRS leaders have approached assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar in search of the disqualification of MLAs defecting, underneath the anti-defection law.
The ruling Congress has criticised the move, highlighting “the BRS’ ethical individual bankruptcy of acquiring engineered defections of 39 Opposition MLAs — from the Telugu Desam Social gathering (TDP), the Congress, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Celebration (YSRCP), the Bahujan Samaj Get together (BSP) the Communist Bash of India (CPI) as very well as Independents — throughout its rule”.


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Notably, the quantity of seats the BRS won in the November assembly elections matched the selection of defectors (39) who joined the social gathering around its last two terms. Nonetheless, in the previous 4 months, the bash has observed a few of its recently-elected MLAs change allegiance to the Congress.
This shift adopted an announcement by chief minister and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee or (TPCC) main Revanth Reddy in mid-March, declaring that the Telangana Congress is welcoming leaders from other parties, such as MLAs.Due to the fact February, two months following its electoral defeat in early December, the BRS has misplaced 5 of its eight Lok Sabha MPs to the Congress (3) and the Bharatiya Janata Bash (2), with the Medak seat starting to be vacant following a BRS MP was elected to the assembly.These are some of the outstanding figures who have joined the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Polling in the point out will be held on 13 Could.
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Keshava Rao
The previous Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief, K. Keshava Rao, shifted his allegiance back to the Congress in the final week of March. Rao, the BRS Rajya Sabha MP, was the party’s secretary general and K. Chandrashekar Rao’s (KCR’s) adviser on national affairs.His daughter and Hyderabad mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi also joined the Congress in the presence of CM Revanth Reddy and AICC Telangana in-charge Deepa Dasmunsi on 30 March.Even though Rao has not got any ticket and his defection may well not generate important electoral advantages, his swap bolsters Revanth Reddy’s narrative of a weakening BRS, which he (Revanth) claimed is “a sinking ship”, and could prompt further defections. Vijayalaxmi’s move will most likely enable maximize the Congress’s vote share in the Hyderabad money region. Kadiyam Srihari
A previous deputy main minister and sitting down Station Ghanpur MLA, Kadiyam Srihari, who was earlier with the TDP, along with his daughter and BRS nominee for the Warangal Lok Sabha seat, Kadiyam Kavya, joined the Congress on 24 March.
Kavya is now the Congress prospect for the similar seat.Srihari, who is from the Timetable Caste group, has some keep in the constituency (Warangal Lok Sabha), which could strengthen the Congress’s prospects. Even so, the chief is facing resistance from some nearby leaders.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA Kadiyam Srihari and his daughter Kadiyam Kavya sign up for Congress | ANI file
Danam Nagender
Danam Nagender, the Khairatabad MLA, rejoined the Congress on 17 March. A previous Congressman and a senior MLA, he also served as a minister in the Congress governments of united Andhra Pradesh.Nagender is now the Congress applicant for the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat, complicated Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy.
Nagender, who belongs to an Other Backward Classes (OBC) neighborhood, has appreciable affect in some pockets of Hyderabad, a area in which the Congress fared terribly in the assembly polls. His entry is anticipated to assistance the get together in the metropolis.
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Ranjith Reddy
A businessman-turned-politician, Ranjith Reddy, the sitting Chevella BRS MP, joined the Congress alongside with Danam Nagender on 17 March.Reddy was slated to be renominated as the BRS prospect from Chevella — a segment adjoining Hyderabad with a blend of IT providers, high-end household communities as well as rural locations.
He is now the Congress applicant from Chevella facing former BRS MP and the BJP prospect, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy.A victory for possibly the Congress or BJP in the Chevella seat suggests a drop in BRS’s stronghold. Patnam Suneetha Mahender Reddy
The BRS Vikarabad Zilla Parishad chairperson, Suneetha Reddy, wife of BRS MLC Patnam Mahender Reddy, joined the Congress in February in the presence of her husband and AICC Telangana in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi. Patnam Mahender Reddy, sitting MLC and a previous minister in the BRS authorities, is himself transferring in the Congress circles, attending meetings, and participating in an active position in strengthening the bash by bringing in more leaders.
Suneetha Reddy is the Congress candidate from the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat.The Congress would like to retain the Malkajgiri seat, one particular of the Lok Sabha segments in Hyderabad which elected Revanth Reddy in 2019. Patnam Mahender Reddy could help steer a victory by shoring up leaders and votes of the BRS.Tellam Venkat Rao
In 1 of the latest defections, the lone BRS Bhadrachalam MLA from the Khammam location, Tellam Venkat Rao, joined the Congress on 7 April in the presence of CM Revanth Reddy.Rao, nevertheless, has not been offered any ticket. His addition to the Congress offers the celebration total domination in Khammam, an spot adjoining Andhra Pradesh. The celebration is yet to announce its prospect below.
Venkatesh Netha
The BRS Peddapalli MP, Venkatesh Netha, who was with the Congress before, rejoined the get together in February. He, however, has not obtained the occasion ticket. Some experiences claimed that Netha is very likely to sign up for the BJP and will be its Peddapalli applicant. Pasunoori Dayakar
A two-time BRS Warangal MP, Pasunoori Dayakar joined the Congress in March. Regardless of his transfer, he has not been allocated an electoral ticket.Taking in the two sitting down MPs (Pasunoori Dayakar and Venkatesh Netha) disappointed with BRS management denying them tickets, the Congress needs to bolster its prospects in the Peddapalli and Warangal seats.
In the meantime, two other BRS MPs — Pothuganti Ramulu and B.B. Patil — have defected to the BJP between February and March. Patil has been named the BJP’s prospect for his latest constituency, Zaheerabad, whilst Pothuganti Bharat Prasad, the son of MP Ramulu, has been nominated by the BJP to contest from his father’s constituency, Nagarkurnool. (Edited by Richa Mishra)
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