Pre-poll flux: Telangana TDP’s Ravula and two more leaders join the BRS, add strength to the party

Telangana TDP Politburo member Chandrasekhar Reddy, who remained with the party through thick and thin, decided to part ways with the TDP and join hands with the BRS. He may be the BRS Lok Sabha Candidate from Mahbubnagar.

Related: Ramagundam trade union leader Kaushik Hari joins BRS

Gaining strength in Mahbubnagar

After welcoming him into the party fold, Rama Rao described Chandrasekhar Reddy as Ajaatha Shatru (one without enemies). “I feel it is a privilege to invite him into the BRS,” he said, adding that with his joining, the BRS would acquire more strength in the Mahbubnagar district.

Chandrasekhar Reddy said that he would work selflessly for the victory of the BRS in his district and that he would remain loyal and obedient to the party leadership.

“I am joining the BRS with an intent to ensure the development of the Mahbubnagar district and serve its people,” he said.

He was TDP MLA twice — in 1994 and 2009 — from Wanaparthy. He was also the party’s chief whip in the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh.

Chandrababu Naidu sent Chandrasekhar Reddy to the Rajya Sabha in 2002. He is tipped to be the BRS candidate for the Lok Sabha election in 2024 from Mahbubnagar.

Panchayat Raj Minister Errabilli Dayakar Rao, who learnt about Chandrasekhar Reddy’s dissatisfaction over the TDP’s stunted growth in Telangana, was instrumental in bringing him to the BRS camp.

Related: BRS MLA Rathod Bapu Rao set to join the Congress

Return of the prodigal son

In another development, Congress leader Jitta Balakrishna Reddy, who had parted ways with the BRS (formerly TRS), returned to the party fold after 14 years.

After joining the party, Balakrishna Reddy said it was like homecoming for him. “I have been away from home for the past 14 years,” he said, and appealed to all protagonists of the Telangana movement to return to the BRS.

Looking at Balakrishna Reddy, KTR said he was reminded of the proverbial prodigal son. He said the time has come for everyone to support the BRS in the upcoming Assembly elections.

“We have to thwart the attack that is about to take place on the very Telangana sentiment,” he said, referring to Congress state president A Revanth Reddy daring him to take a pledge at the Telangana Martyrs Column that he would not resort to unethical methods to win the election.

Balakrishna Reddy left the BRS in 2009 after he was denied an Assembly ticket. He contested as an independent unsuccessfully against TDP’s Uma Madhava Reddy from Bhongir.

Balakrishna Reddy later joined the YSRCP. In 2014, he contested and lost as an independent. In 2018, he contested as “Yuva Telangana” candidate, which he founded, with the support of the BJP, only to lose again.

Though he joined the Congress recently, he had been ill at ease over the induction of Kumbham Anil Kumar Reddy into the party. Bhongir MLA P Shekar Reddy, sensing Balakrishna Reddy’s growing desperation, invited him to the BRS.

Balakrishna Reddy held talks with minister T Harish Rao and KT Rama Rao and decided to return.

TNGO Association president Mamilla Rajender, who resigned from the government’s service, wore pink clothes after joining the BRS in KTR’s presence.

“As a member of the Mudiraj caste, I will serve my community. Though I had two more years of government service, I quit my job and joined the BRS with the intent to serve the people,” he said.