The Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana faced yet another setback as its sitting MLA and former minister, Kadiam Srihari, along with his daughter Kadiam Kavya joined the Congress party on Sunday.
This took place in the presence of the Chief Minister and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president, A Revanth Reddy.
The decision comes after Congress leaders extended invitations to Srihari to join their ranks. Citing various reasons for the exodus from BRS, Srihari expressed his desire to serve the people and address the needs of his constituency. "To serve the people and to do something for the constituency, he will take a call (on joining the Congress party)" Srihari stated.
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Kavya, who was BRS's candidate from Warangal, announced her withdrawal from the party. She cited recent allegations of corruption and phone tapping against the previous K Chandrasekhar Rao-led regime, which tarnished the party's reputation.
"The allegations have lowered the party's prestige," Kavya remarked.
The defection of the Kadiam duo isn't the sole blow to BRS. In a boost to the Congress, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijaya Laxmi R Gadwal also switched sides to Congress the day before. Revanth Reddy and other Congress leaders paid a visit to Vijaya Laxmi's father, BRS Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao, indicating a strengthening bond between the parties.
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Adding to BRS's woes, Keshav Rao himself declared his intentions to return to the Congress fold on Friday.
As a key figure in BRS and chief architect of the party's initiatives, Keshav Rao's decision marks a significant setback. Prior to affiliating with KCR, he had served as the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
