Along with Jupally, BRS MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy, and former Kodangal MLA Gurunath Reddy also joined the Congress ranks.
Published Aug 03, 2023 | 3:39 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 03, 2023 | 7:31 PM
TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and party Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre. (Twitter)
The jinx has finally broken. After three dates being announced for his joining, it was only on Thursday, 3 August, that former Telangana minister and suspended BRS leader from the Mahabubnagar district, Jupally Krishna Rao, finally joined the Congress.
The event, though a little subdued, took place in the presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikharjun Kharge at the latter’s residence in New Delhi. Neither Rahul Gandhi nor his sister Priyanka were present on the occasion.
Along with Krishna Rao, K Rajesh Reddy, son of BRS MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy, and former Kodangal MLA Gurunath Reddy also joined the Congress ranks.
As Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy introduced them one by one, Kharge admitted them into the party by draping them with Congress uthareeyams. Several leaders from Mababubnagar also joined the grand old party.
Congress Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre, Nalgonda MP Uttam Kumar Reddy, party general secretary KC Venugopal, TPCC vice president Mallu Ravi, and former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy were present on the occasion.
Jupally, along with his supporters, wanted to have a big-bang entry into the Congress.
Accordingly, he invited Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi to Kollapur for his formal induction into the party. She was to have visited Kollapur, Jupalli’s home constituency, on 30 July, but the event was put off following torrential rains in Telangana.
According to sources, Jupally has relented to joining the party in the presence of Kharge in Delhi as he was losing precious time to establish himself as a Congress leader and connect with the people in his new avatar.
We welcome several prominent leaders from Telangana in the Congress party.
The political tide in Telangana is turning for the good and the people of the state want a Congress Govt at the helm for overall progress and prosperity.
The entry of Former Minister, Shri Jupally… pic.twitter.com/pej36Fv7gg
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 3, 2023
They say that senior leaders of the party, which may or may not include Priyanka Gandhi, would soon visit Kollapur and address a huge public meeting to formalise Jupally’s entry into the party.
Ever since the BRS suspended Jupally Krishna Rao and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy of Khammam, the Congress as well as the BJP were trying to land them.
In the process, BJP leader Eatala Rajender, along with others, persuaded both of them to join the saffron party.
But the two leaders sought time as Karnataka was heading for Assembly elections then. They apparently wanted to know which way the wind was blowing and decided to wait for the outcome of the elections.
With the saffron party biting the dust, the two leaders decided that the Congress was a better bet for them. It was Srinivasa Reddy who got into the Congress first, on 2 July, at a huge public meeting in Khammam.
Party senior leader Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting. The highlight of the programme was Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of ₹4,000 per month pension for the aged.
But the programme to admit Krishna Rao into the party took long. He wanted Priyanka Gandhi to take him into the party fold, but she could not make it though she had given dates on 20 and 30 July.
After the party has given an indication that Priyanka Gandhi may not be able to visit Telangana anytime in the near future, Jupally decided to join the party in Delhi in the presence of Kharge on Wednesday.
Even that was postponed to Thursday as the Opposition parties had an appointment with the President of India.
Though it was given to understand that Rahul Gandhi would be around when Jupally would join the party, he also gave the event a miss.
What was supposed to have been a big bang, ended in somewhat of a whimper.
