Congress beckons: But ousted BRS leader Srinivasa Reddy will only reveal his hand in ‘3-4 days’

Also read: Khammam clearly in focus, Congress and BJP vie to lure Srinivasa Reddy

‘Will announce soon’

After the meeting, he said: “I will announce which party I will be joining in three to four days. I go by the opinion of my supporters in the district. I will join the party in the presence of lakhs of people in Khammam district very soon.”

Srinivasa Reddy invited about 70 of his supporters from all the 10 Assembly segments in the combined Khammam district for the meeting held earlier in the day which is being seen as a prelude to taking the leap of faith.

He has already taken a lot of time which made his supporters feel unhappy.

He was suspended from BRS on 11 April and since then, he, and another leader in Mahabubnagar district, Jupalli Krishna Rao, who too was axed by the pink party, have been working together in assessing which party is a better bet for them.

After the debacle of BJP in Karnataka, the two leaders seem to have decided that the Congress would be the right choice though the BJP leaders, particularly the party’s “Joinings Committee” chairman Eatala Rajender, tried to persuade them to join the saffron party.

Also read: BRS dissidents weigh new option in Telangana

‘Prepared for Kurukshetra yuddham’

But both Srinivasa Reddy and Krishna Rao remained non-committal, not knowing which way the wind was blowing.

Now that the Congress has emerged victorious in Karnataka, they realised that their destiny is linked with the grand old party.

Srinivasa Reddy said: “There is unanimity in the opinion of my supporters. I will make an official statement in Hyderabad in three to four days. I will then announce the date for the public meeting to be held in Khammam where I will be joining the party. I will join hands with those who share my views and prepare for the Kurukshetra yuddham (war) with KCR. My only aim is to free Telangana from the clutches of KCR.”

“It was analysed as to what decision would dislodge this government of KCR that did not bother about people… It took a lot of time to elicit the views of so many people,” he told reporters.

He was critical of the BRS leaders who tried to ridicule him with irresponsible comments.

“They had said he has no party, no flag, no agenda. Their statements smacked off their arrogance. My supporters also share my feelings. We are determined to send KCR packing home,” he said.