Facing anti-incumbency, BRS suffers another setback; 12 former MPs, MLAs join Congress

Hyderabad: BRS suffered a major blow when over 12 former ministers, MLAs, and office bearers joined Congress.

The joining ceremony took place on Monday in the presence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi. The development comes just a few months before the assembly election in Telangana.

Leaders who switched to the Congress include former Member of Parliament Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and former Telangana minister Jupally Krishna Rao. Others include ex-MLAs Panyam Venkateswarlu, Koram Kanakaiah, and Kota Ram Babu, along with Rakesh Reddy, the son of BRS MLC Narsa Reddy.

The decision of these leaders to join the Congress comes in the wake of the BRS’ absence from a crucial opposition meeting held in Patna. The meeting, hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was aimed to foster a united opposition front by bringing together leaders from various major opposition parties across the country.

KT Rama Rao, working president of BRS said the parties are "obsessed" with "dislodging someone" from power. "The fight should be on principal issues before the country. Unfortunately, we are losing the plot there. The focus seems to be on dislodging someone or putting someone there, which is not the agenda," he told.

The BRS' absence from the opposition meeting and the subsequent defections to the Congress has set the stage for a potential political realignment in Telangana.

With election drawing closer, these events could have a significant impact on the electoral dynamics and outcomes in the state.

The political landscape in Telangana has become increasingly dynamic and competitive. The stage is now set for an intense battle as parties vie for power.