Congress leaders defecting to BRS despite candidates’ list announcement

Despite the BRS having already unveiled its complete list of candidates, Congress members are still making efforts to join the BRS. This is likely because the dissatisfied leaders may anticipate securing alternative positions within the BRS instead of remaining in the same party that has refused them tickets.

Certain Telangana Congress leaders remain puzzled as to why they were denied tickets despite their long-standing commitment and service to the party. The Congress in Telangana has selected former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin as its candidate for the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency. This decision has caused some members of the Congress to leave the party. Two prominent Congress leaders, including the former MLA of Jubilee Hills, P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy (late PJR son), and Nagam Janardhan Reddy, a former minister and five-time MLA, have joined the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party.

Azharuddin, although originally from Hyderabad, has never contested an election in Telangana and won his only election in Uttar Pradesh. Vishnuvardhan’s sister also received a Congress ticket from Khairatabad, which might have led to his exit. The switch to the BRS is happening even though the BRS has already announced candidates for most of the Assembly seats. Those leaving the Congress may be doing so with the hope of getting nominated for other positions after the elections.

This move follows earlier exits from the Congress due to ticket denials. Some leaders who were denied tickets have joined other parties only to expressed their displeasure. The Congress has released its lists of candidates for the upcoming elections, but there is still competition for the remaining seats. The state Congress chief, A. Revanth Reddy, explained that candidates were chosen based on their chances of winning, but some aspirants claim that no proper assessment was conducted to select candidates. Nagam Janardhan, who joined the BRS, also mentioned that many senior party leaders were ignored in the ticket allocation process.

As the election approaches, it remains to be seen how these political shifts and disputes will influence the electoral outcomes in Telangana, where various parties are vying for the support of the electorate.