BRS MLAs who defected to Congress become ‘pariahs’ in party

After raising objections over protocol being extended to turncoat MLAs, Congress leaders are now not participating in the programmes chaired by these MLAs.

Hyderabad: Leaders and legislators who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Congress recently are apparently being treated as ‘untouchables’ within the Congress with many leaders openly opposing their presence during official programmes and even party meetings.

After raising objections over protocol being extended to turncoat MLAs, Congress leaders are now not participating in the programmes chaired by these MLAs. Congress leaders, especially Sarpanches, are openly approaching senior leaders and sidelining the turncoat MLAs to get development and welfare works done in different constituencies. And this is not going down well with the turncoat MLAs.

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The outburst of Sangareddy Congress leaders against Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy’s presence at the crop loan waiver launch programme in Jannaram on July 18 is one such example. The Congress leaders openly objected over protocol being extended to the MLA, citing that he had joined the party recently and that they, who were loyal to the party for decades, were not being given importance. Heated arguments took place between the followers of Mahipal Reddy and former MPP Ravinder Goud.

This is not an isolated case. Gadwal MLA B Krishna Mohan Reddy is facing outright opposition from constituency incharge Sarita Thirupataiah even before he joined the Congress. Her followers staged protests at Gandhi Bhavan as well over his entry into the Congress. It may be recalled that he had even met the BRS working president KT Rama Rao during the budget session in the Assembly.

Similarly, a cold war is brewing between Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender and P Vijaya Reddy, daughter of former CLP leader late P Janardhan Reddy over his entry into the Congress. Vijaya Reddy’s followers have been maintaining a distance from the MLA at official programmes.

Same is the case with Chevella MLA Kale Yadaiah, who is facing a bitter experience from Congress leader Bheem Bharat, who lost to him in the assembly elections by a narrow margin. In Rajendranagar constituency, local leaders are not participating in programmes being chaired by MLA Prakash Goud, who is among those who defected to the Congress recently.

On August 1, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy along with AICC Telangana incharge Deepadas Munshi had held a meeting with BRS MLAs, who joined the Congress. Though no official statement was issued over the meeting, party sources said the Chief Minister assured the BRS MLAs that their ‘interests’ would be protected in the Congress.