Zero LS seat efffect: 10 BRS MLAs to switch to Cong?

Hyderabad: The zero Lok Sabha seat effect is making MLAs of the BRS jittery. There is speculation that most MLAs in the GHMC area may leave the party after its pathetic performance, as all the four candidates lost deposits.

The BRS leaders, including legislators, had withstood the ‘Operation Akarsh’ by the Congress party and adopted a wait and watch policy till the Lok Sabha elections. However, the abysmal performance of candidates in the GHMC area losing deposits in all four segments is leaving them worried about their future.

The party candidates in the four segments T Padma Rao Goud (Secunderabad), Gaddam Srinivas Yadav (Hyderabad), Ragidi Lakshma Reddy (Malkajgiri) and Kasani Gnaneshwar Mudiraj (Chevella) had lost the elections so badly that they could not save deposits. The BRS MLAs had secured large number of votes in the Assembly election, but when it came to the Lok Sabha, the votes were drastically decreased.

Congress leader Mynampally Hanumanth Rao had recently announced that there were at least ten MLAs of BRS who were ready to join the party. There is speculation in the party that those who had come from parties like Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Congress may look to leave. Most of them are in the GHMC area. Of the 39 constituencies where the BRS had won in the Assembly elections, 16 MLAs are in GHMC and nine are in and around Hyderabad. The BRS strength has now fallen to 38 after the defeat of party candidate L Nivedita in the recent Secunderabad Cantonment by-poll. Besides, three MLAs, Kadiyam Srihari, Danam Nagender and T Venkat Rao, shifted loyalties to the Congress. The city mayor G Vijayalakshmi also recently joined the ruling party.

Many MLAs have openly met CM Revanth Reddy at his residence in the past. However, they have said that they were meeting for development of their constituencies. Sources said that recently Rajendranagar MLA T Prakash Goud had met Congress leaders, raising speculation of joining the ruling party. Even before the Lok Sabha elections, there was speculation of his joining the Congress. However, he remained in the pink party after holding discussions with activists and supporters.