In a significant blow to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party, six of its MLCs defected to the Congress party shortly after midnight on July 4 in Hyderabad. This mass defection highlights the growing unrest and diminishing influence within the BRS in Telangana politics.
At around 1 AM on Thursday, July 4, BRS MLCs Dande Vittal, Bhanu Prasad, Buggarapu Dayanand, Prabhakar Rao, Egge Mallesham, and Baswaraju Sarayya officially joined the Congress party. The defection took place at the residence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Due to a delayed flight from Delhi, the formal joining happened after midnight.
With the addition of these six members, Congress’s strength in the Legislative Council has increased to 12. This move is seen as a strategic effort by Congress to gain a majority in the council. By attracting BRS members, Congress aims to consolidate its power and ensure the stability of Revanth Reddy’s government.
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The defection spree signals a deeper crisis within the BRS, where members are increasingly dissatisfied. The latest wave of defections adds to the party’s woes, as it struggles to maintain unity and relevance. K. Keshava Rao, a senior BRS member, recently resigned from his Rajya Sabha MP position and joined Congress, further complicating the situation for BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR).
Adding to the BRS’s troubles, several of its MLAs have already joined the ruling Congress party in Telangana. Prominent among them are Danam Nagender, Khairatabad MLA; Kadiyam Srihari, Station Ghanpur MLA; Thellam Venkat Rao, Bhadrachalam MLA; Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Banswada MLA; Sanjay Kumar, Jagtial MLA; and Kale Yadaiah, Chevella MLA. This new wave of defections underscores the deepening crisis within the BRS and bolsters Congress’s position further.
Meanwhile, sensing the danger, KCR has been actively trying to keep his cadre united, emphasizing the party’s bright future. However, his efforts appear insufficient as senior, middle, and lower-level leaders continue to distance themselves from the BRS, raising questions about the party’s survival.
A few days ago, KCR held a meeting at his farmhouse with elected MLAs, district ZPTCs, and their families to discuss the political landscape. Despite these efforts, it seems he has lost his grip on the party’s affairs.
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The political landscape in Telangana is rapidly changing, with Congress making significant gains at the expense of BRS. The BRS now faces an uphill battle to retain its members and regain its footing. The coming months will be critical for KCR and his party as they navigate these challenges and strive to remain relevant in the state’s political arena.
In the recent assembly elections, BRS won only 39 seats, and in the Lok Sabha elections, it failed to secure even a single seat, indicating the severe decline within the BRS camp. The party is losing its cadre at a speed greater than expected, which poses a significant threat to its future viability.
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