Published Oct 06, 2023 | 8:47 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 06, 2023 | 8:47 PM
Kasireddy Narayana Reddy with Mallikarjun Kharge. (X)
Telangana MLC Kasireddy Narayana Reddy, who recently resigned from the ruling BRS, joined the Congress in New Delhi on Friday, 6 October, in the presence of its national president Mallikarjun Kharge. Another senior BRS leader, Thakur Balaji Singh, also joined the Congress.
Both the leaders took the party membership in the presence of Kharge along with many local leaders and workers.
In a post on X, the Congress shared pictures of the two leaders joining the party.
“Today, in the presence of Congress President Shri @Kharge, BRS leaders Shri Kasireddy Narayana Reddy & Shri Thakur Balaji Singh, along with 100 current and former elected representatives from the Kalwakurthy Assembly Constituency, Telangana join the Congress Party,” the party said in a post on X.
Today, in the presence of Congress President Shri @Kharge, BRS leaders Shri Kasireddy Narayana Reddy & Shri Thakur Balaji Singh, along with 100 current & former elected representatives from the Kalwakurthy Assembly Constituency, Telangana join the Congress Party. pic.twitter.com/XHWim2vtt3
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 6, 2023
Telangana Congress president A Revanth Reddy exuded confidence that the party would win the state Assembly polls, scheduled towards the end of this year.
“A Congress government will be formed and all the dreams of those who sacrificed for the creation of Telangana will be fulfilled,” he said.
“Sonia Gandhi formed the state of Telangana even though she knew that the Congress would suffer politically. I have decided to join the Congress party to form a democratic and public welfare government in Telangana,” Narayan Reddy said in a letter to BRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on 1 October after resigning from the BRS.
“Thank you for the opportunities you have given me. I submit my resignation from the active membership of the BRS party,” he added.
Speaking to South First later, the MLC from Khanapur in the Mahbubnagar district recalled that he had contested in polls independently during the initial days of his political career.
“The people in my constituency feel I am inactive in politics, and I am unable to assist. With their blessings, I wished to seek other options,” he said.
BRS senior leaders C Krishna Yadav and J Chittaranjan Das, who were ministers in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, quit the party and joined the BJP in Hyderabad on 30 September.
On 28 September, BRS Malkajgiri MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao and his son Mynampally Rohith joined the Congress in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge and president of the Telangana state unit Revanth Reddy, in New Delhi.
Hanumantha Rao, who was on the warpath since the BRS announced its list of candidates for the forthcoming election to the Telangana Assembly, had resigned from the party earlier in the week, penning an angry missive to Chandrashekar Rao.
Also joining the party along with the Mynampally duo was former BRS Nakrekal MLA Vemula Veeresham. He served as MLA from 2014 to 2018.
Anil Kumar Reddy from Bhongir constituency was also seen in a video the party shared. Anil Kumar, who had recently joined the ruling BRS, was welcomed back to the fold.
The Congress is likely to allot the Bhongir ticket to Anil Kumar, ignoring another aspirant and Backward Class (BC) leader Ch Venkanna Yadav.
In August, former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao joined the Congress from the BRS. There are also speculations that Thummala Nageshwara Rao and Motkupalli Narasimhulu will be joining the Congress.
