Upbeat Telangana Congress readies for mega Kollapura meeting; leaders from BRS, BJP set to join, says Bhatti Vikramarka

Also read: Rahul Gandhi blows Congress poll bugle in Telangana

Meeting with Vikramarka

Ahead of joining the national party, Krishna Rao called on Congress Legislative Party Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka in Hyderabad on Monday, 10 July, and discussed the strategy to be followed to impart further impetus to the party, which is on the upswing in Telangana.

After their meeting, Vikramarka told reporters that the Congress is not trying to poach leaders from other parties.

“They are showing interest in joining the party for various reasons. The main reason propelling them is the credibility of the party and its commitment to fulfill the objectives for which the people had fought and secured a separate state,” he said.

Vikramraka said that leaders from both the BRS and BJP were showing interest in joining the Congress and the process has already begun of admitting them into the party.

There are several BRS and BJP leaders who are ready to join the Congress as they now know that the two parties are two sides of the same coin. They do not want to be fooled by their antics any longer, he said.

Krishna Rao said that leaders from both parties in the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district will join the party. “They will include BRS MLC K Damodar Reddy and his son Megha Reddy.”

Related: Winning Assembly polls is not difficult, says TPCC chief Revanth

Srinivasa Reddy calls on Vikramarka

Interestingly, former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, who joined the Congress recently, also called on Vikramarka and discussed the way forward in ensuring that the Congress would capture power in the state.

There are several disillusioned leaders in the BRS and their exodus into the Congress will begin later this month, he contended. “They are in touch with the AICC and TPCC leadership,” he said, adding that the effort is to dump the BRS in the Bay of Bengal.

Telangana will elect its new Assembly this year-end.

A Congress source told South First that once the tide — of other leaders joining the party — begins, it would become irreversible. There are MLCs, former MLAs, and MLCs in both the BRS and BJP who are unhappy in their respective parties.

Already, BJP leaders are trying to convince former minister A Chandrasekhar from Vikarbad from leaving the party as he was one of those who fought for Telangana and was meted out a raw deal.

Similarly, there are two former MLAs and one MLC in erstwhile Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, and Rangareddy districts who are seriously considering joining the Congress, the source said.

Related: BJP rejig in Telangana targeted at taking down Congress in the state

Congress will fight unitedly

Meanwhile, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkata Reddy said that KCR will dissolve the Assembly within the next 45 days and party workers should be ready to face the electoral challenge.

Speaking to media persons after interacting with his supporters, he said that it was not fair to accuse the Congress of factionalism.

“Which party does not have groups? In the BRS, Legislative Council chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, and Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy do not see eye to eye. In the Congress, though there are differences, we will bury the hatchet and work together,” he said.

He admitted that he was hurt when he could not get the post of the state president but now he has realised that when the appropriate time comes, everyone would get an opportunity.

He appealed to the party workers to lend their shoulders to the effort to bring Congress back to power.

“We have joined hands, though we had differences in the past. You also come together and work for the party,” he urged.

“Sonia Gandhi delivered Telangana keeping in view the aspirations of the youth and knowing fully well it would mean the death knell of the party in Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra, there was no question of the party winning even a ward member post in the next 50 years,” he said.