BJP out to woo BRS leaders

Hyderabad: The Congress and BJP seem to be in a race to poach MLAs from BRS ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The saffron party is said to have thrown its net to rope in some influential BRS leaders like Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Ch Malla Reddy.

The BJP leaders are said to have held a few secret meetings with these leaders. Malla Reddy’s son-in-law and Malkajigiri MLA M Shashidhar Reddy are also ready to join the national party, according to sources.

Srinivas Yadav and Malla Reddy are strong leaders in Secunderabad and Malkajgiri Lok Sabha segments. If BJP succeeds in its attempts, they can play a prominent role in the victory of Union Minister G Kishan Reddy. Secunderabad has a large number of Yadav community members.

Former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav on the other hand is seeking the support of his community for Congress candidate D Nagendar from the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat. Similarly, BRS leader and sitting MLA Malla Reddy is a strong leader in seven assembly segments of the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat. He had represented the segment in the 2014 general elections in Lok Sabha. His son-in-law was an MLA from one of the seven assembly segments of Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat. BJP feels that if Malla Reddy joins them, it would brighten the fortunes of Etala Rajender.

It may be added that these two BRS leaders tried to join Congress but Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had not given his nod. They feel that the way the Congress was ordering probe into various decisions and schemes of the previous government, they would not be safe if they continue in BRS. Hence they feel that the next best option for them would be BJP.