Lok Sabha polls: It looks bleak for BRS; battle mainly between Congress & BJP in Telangana
Hyderabad: As K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) faces an unprecedented downslide following the arrest of Nizamabad MLC K Kavitha and continued exits from the party, the contest in Telangana is fast becoming a Congress versus BJP battle.
In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BRS had bagged nine Lok Sabha seats, BJP four and Congress three. All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen had retained Hyderabad. However, 2024 promises to be a different number game.
As on date, more than half of BJP candidates in Telangana have BRS antecedents, with the bulk of them shifting loyalties this month only. The state's ruling party, Congress, is giving stiff competition to BJP as it has welcomed a slew of BRS MPs and MLAs into its fold in the run-up to the May 13 elections.
The biggest blow for BRS was the defection of its MP from Chevella, Ranjith Reddy. He is now Congress' Lok Sabha candidate from the same constituency. Similarly, BRS MLA from Khairatabad assembly seat in Hyderabad, Danam Nagender, is now a Congress candidate and will take on Union minister G Kishan Reddy from Secunderabad.
Former Vikarabad zilla parishad chairperson and former BRS leader, Sunitha Mahender Reddy, is now contesting on a Congress ticket from Malkajgiri. BRS' Peddapalli MP Venkatesh Netha has moved to Congress and is waiting for formal announcement on his candidature as is Warangal MP Pasunuri Dayakar, who quit BRS after being denied the Lok Sabha ticket.
Congress, in fact, is leaving nothing to chance. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy is also
