BRS leadership puts up brave face as one more MLA leaves party

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership is trying to put up a brave face and posing unfazed by the ruling Congress’ continuous ‘poaching’ of MLAs, with one more joining the Congress ranks on Friday, and reducing BRS strength in the Assembly to 32 practically, if not technically.

Legislators Danam Nagender, Kadiyam Srihari, Tellam Venkata Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, M. Sanjay and Kale Yadaiah, who all won the Telangana Assembly election-2023 on BRS tickets, deserted BRS and joined Congress, one by one, starting from March 17.

Party legislators met former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at the latter’s farmhouse at Erravelli on Friday. Some of its legislators have been busy executing plans of shifting loyalty from one party to another.

Speaking to those who turned up at the farmhouse, the party president tried to pump some confidence by stating that there was no loss to the party with some individuals leaving it and such situations were not new to the party from the beginning. A political party would make leaders and not vice versa, Mr. Rao said, adding that BRS too would create new leaders and make them work towards fulfilling the aspirations of the people.

BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao speaking to party activists at his Erravelli farmhouse on Friday, as party leaders look on. | Photo Credit: By Arrangement

Stating that there were many more aspirations of Telangana people which were yet to be fulfilled and the State had to reach many milestones, Mr. Rao said only the BRS had the capacity and understanding to fulfil those aspirations. The party had achieved statehood to Telangana, which many felt that it was not possible, and the present situation of some leaders deserting it was not so difficult.

Mr. Rao said there was need to work with renewed vigour for fulfilling the aspirations of people, irrespective of the position the people had given to the party. Referring to the defection of Jagtial MLA Mr. Sanjay, he said the BRS had made him a leader and it would make a better one for the constituency now, he said.

Working president of the party K.T. Rama Rao, MLAs Dr. K. Sanjay Kumar, Padi Kaushik Reddy and V. Prashanth Reddy, MLC L. Ramana, former MLAs Balka Suman, A, Jeevan Reddy, Jajula Surender, Gampa Goverdhan, Hanmanth Shinde, Jagitial ZP Chairperson Vasantha Suresh met the party chief.