The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership is planning to hold an extensive meeting of the party soon for introspection — the situation in which it finds itself after suffering the worst-ever poll debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections in its 23 years of existence and the way forward.
Irrespective of the reasoning expressed in some circles of the party, that was in power from 2014 to 2023, that preference of the electorate to go with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in power at the Centre and Congress in power in the State instead of BRS, the loss of nearly 21% vote share in a matter of just five months has become a cause of concern to the leadership.
With the political coercion by the BJP and Congress likely to continue on BRS in different forms, the task of holding its flock together has become a herculean task for the party leadership. A series of judicial and other inquiries on projects and schemes implemented by the BRS government are also likely to bother the party leaders badly.
Practically, its strength in the Assembly has already come down to 35 from 39 with three MLAs defecting to the ruling Congress and another seat that had fallen vacant after the sitting member’s death too was bagged by Congress in the by-election.
The chances of more MLAs defecting mostly to the Congress too can not be ruled out with the ruling party likely to follow what the BRS did in its first two terms of rule. Sources in the party stated that the leadership was planning to hold meetings both with the party leaders and other voices in the society as also training classes to party activists and affiliated bodies as part of building the organisation (party), which the leadership had neglected when in power on the pretext of focus on governance.
It is understood that the leadership is planning to hold meetings with those who participated in the movement for Statehood with him, key personalities from different sections of the society, intellectuals, district presidents of the party, MLAs, MLCs and Rajya Sabha members, former MPs, State executive members and others. The leadership was busy chalking out an action plan to infuse some confidence with the way forward.
Introspection by the party, its efforts on course correction would face a litmus test in the rural and urban local bodies’ elections from village level — Gram Panchayats, Mandal and Zilla Parishads, Municipal Councils and Corporations.
