BRS bolstered by influx of leaders from rival parties

Congress, which is yet to reach the halfway mark in finalising the list of its nominees, is seeing a large number of its leaders on the way out of the party

Hyderabad: As the election draws closer, the BRS is growing from strength to strength, thanks to the influx of leaders from Opposition parties.

The Congress, which is yet to reach the halfway mark in finalising the list of its nominees, is seeing a large number of its leaders on the way out of the party. Once the final list is announced, more are expected to follow suit. The BJP, which is yet to come out even with the first list of candidates, is jittery since the process of finalising the nominees was likely trigger a exodus.

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So far as the Congress is concerned, the nasty tongue of some leaders proved costly for it. A senior leader and former president of the State Congress committee, Ponnala Lakshmaiah preferred the path of a honorable exit from the party instead of enduring the suffocation cause by TPCC president A Revanth Reddy. Ponnala, an influential leader from the backward classes was known for his loyalty to the Congress leadership.

Hurt and angry with the treatment meted out to him even by the AICC leadership, he had come out with a resolve to prove himself. The loss of the Congress will be a major gain for the BRS. The Munnuru Kapu community leadership in the ruling BRS has emerged stronger than before. Ponnala, who came up the hard way, has enjoyed clout in political circles across all communities.

Lakshmaiah’s experience would be helpful in developing the Hyderabad-Bhongir-Jangaon corridor, BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had said while welcoming him into the party.

Another senior leader from the Congress, Patlolla Sashidhar Reddy also joined the BRS a few days ago after by quitting the Congress. He wields considerable clout in Medak. His followers too switched their loyalties to the Congress in a big way. The release of the second list of candidates of the Congress, which is said to be in the process of finalisation, is likely to open the flood gates from the Congress, given the reactions to the first list.

As for the BJP, its strongholds are said to be at stake. BJP corporator from Bagh Amberpet, Padma Venkat Reddy and her husband, senior BJP leader B Venkat Reddy had quit the party and joined the BRS. Venkat Reddy was once the BJP city unit president and a close aide of State party chief G Kishan Reddy and has been with the party for over 40 years. His exit is considered a major setback to Kishan Reddy himself. Some more corporators in the GHMC are also keen on joining the BRS. The release of the final list of the party nominees is likely to coincide with the exit of leaders let down in the distribution of party tickets. Some BJP leaders in Nizamabad and Nirmal districts have also quit the party ahead of the announcement of the poll schedule.

Senior Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) leader Yathakula Bhaskar and his followers also joined the BRS recently. The MRPS leadership had considerable presence in certain assembly segments.