More cracks in BJP: Vivek Venkatswamy prepares to quit

Though BJP national president JP Nadda tried to pacify him, the senior politician was not convinced with the assurances given by the party chief and is learned to be going ahead with his plan.

Hyderabad: The exodus of leaders from the BJP in the State is continuing with yet another leader, G Vivek Venkatswamy, a former MP, all set to leave the party. Sources said he is likely to join the Congress by the end of this month.

Former minister and senior BJP leader A Chandrasekhar had quit the BJP on August 13, while Kothagudem-Bhadradri district party president Koneru Satyanarayana (Chinni) had resigned from the party four days ago.

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There is also a talk that a few other leaders, such as former Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, former Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy and former minister DK Aruna might also shift loyalties from the BJP to the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections.

Of late, Venkatswamy has been staying away from the party affairs and has been maintaining a low profile. He was reportedly not responding to calls from key leaders. Last month, he did not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Warangal public meeting, triggering rumours that he was unhappy in the BJP and that he would be soon leaving the party.

Though BJP national president JP Nadda tried to pacify him, the senior politician was not convinced with the assurances given by the party chief and is learned to be going ahead with his plan. Talk in the party circiles is that Vivek is keen to contest from his old Lok Sabha constituency Peddapalli and is trying to field his son from the Dharmapuri assembly constituency.

Vivek joined the TRS (Now BRS) from the Congress in 2013, but returned to the Congress much before the 2014 elections. However, he lost the elections in the hands of TRS candidate Balka Suman. He rejoined TRS in 2016 and quit the party in 2019 after he failed to secure a ticket. He then joined the BJP and has been there since, with plans afoot to swithc loyalties again.