In Hyderabad, BRS candidates are facing challenges as local leaders are switching to rival parties during the campaign. Many candidates are new and unsure if local leaders will stay with the party or leave.
As the campaign should be ramping up locally, party candidates and important leaders are uncertain about the loyalty of leaders who may switch to other parties. This uncertainty forces candidates to find new leaders to take over election responsibilities at the last minute.
For example, party leader E Peddi Reddy, who supported BRS candidate B Vinod in Huzurabad, recently joined the BJP. This shift in leadership can greatly influence voters at the mandal and village levels.
In the past, senior BRS leaders like working president KT Rama Rao would intervene to keep leaders loyal through nominated posts and benefits. But now, senior leaders are focused on the campaign and trying to retain MLA-level leaders.
After recent elections, many BRS MLAs lost their seats and some leaders, including sitting MPs, switched parties. This has left new candidates unsure how to engage with local leaders and reach voters effectively.
The shifting of urban local body leaders to the Congress party adds to the challenges faced by BRS leadership. With uncertainty surrounding the loyalty of party leaders, the focus has shifted from campaigning to predicting their next moves.
