Telangana's ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party is reportedly set to face a setback as approximately 35 of its key leaders are preparing to join the Congress party ahead of the state elections scheduled later this year.
Led by former BRS leader Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao, the group has held meetings with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to finalise their transition. Sources told NDTV that the leaders and their supporters will officially join the Congress party in Telangana during the first week of July, in the presence of national leaders.
A large-scale public gathering is being planned in the state, where additional leaders from the BRS as well as some from the BJP are expected to join the Congress party. This development poses a significant challenge for Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is seeking a third term in the upcoming elections slated for later this year.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has played a prominent role in the establishment of Telangana as India's youngest state, which was carved out from Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
In the 2018 elections, his party secured a victory by winning 88 out of the 119 seats in the Telangana Assembly, an increase from the 63 seats won in 2014. The BRS, previously known as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), also enjoyed a vote share of 46.87%, surpassing the 28.43% received by the Congress party.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Assaduddin Owaisi, secured only seven seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win a solitary seat. However, the BJP aims to expand its influence in the state.