Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS) general secretary K. Keshava Rao met Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday, a day ahead of their joining the Congress along with his daughter and Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi.
AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi and other leaders were present during the meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence. Keshava Rao, a member of Rajya Sabha, is believed to have discussed various issues related to their decision to switch loyalties.
The senior leader and his daughter had on Thursday confirmed that they will be joining the Congress. Vijayalaxmi defended her decision on the ground that development works can be taken smoothly when the mayor is in the ruling party.
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Keshava Rao, a Rajya Sabha member, also conveyed his decision to BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. The senior leader told him that he wants to return to the Congress as he was associated with the party for a long time.
He mentioned that he was in the Congress party for 53 years and that he had joined BRS for the sake of Telangana. He expressed his wish to return to Congress. Their decision came a week after Deepa Dasmunshi met and invited them to join the party.
However, Keshava Rao’s son K. Viplav Kumar has clarified that he has nothing to do with the decision of his father and sister. Viplav Kumar, former chairman of TS Urban Finance Infrastructure Development Corporation, said he would remain with the BRS.
Vijayalaxmi’s move comes as the latest blow to BRS, which lost power to Congress in the November 30, 2023 elections. The BRS lost several leaders including five sitting MPs and a MLA to either Congress or BJP.
The Hyderabad mayor’s shifting of loyalty is expected to be a shot in the arm for Congress, which drew a blank in the Assembly elections in Greater Hyderabad region. Several BRS corporators are also likely to switch loyalties to Congress along with the mayor.
In the previous elections held for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) held in 2020, the BRS had emerged as the largest party by winning 55 out of 150 wards. The BJP had emerged as the main opposition with 48 seats while AIMIM led by Asaduddin Owaisi had secured 44 wards. The Congress party could win only two wards.
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