In Hyderabad, many BRS leaders are leaving the party before the Lok Sabha elections, making it difficult for the party to find suitable candidates in some constituencies. Some leaders have joined the BJP or Congress, like MPs BB Patil and P Ramulu who joined BJP, and Venkatesh Nethakani who joined Congress. Recently, four BRS leaders joined BJP in New Delhi.
There are rumors that around 15 BRS legislators are in talks with the Congress. The ruling party is waiting for 11 more MLAs to join so they can merge with the Congress party after the Lok Sabha elections. The BRS, which had fought for a separate state for 14 years and had a strong network of 60 lakh members, is now facing challenges as many leaders are leaving the party.
In addition to leaders leaving, some potential candidates are also expressing reluctance to contest in the elections. For example, former minister Ch Malla Reddy’s son, Bhadra Reddy, was approved for a ticket in Malkajgiri but the former minister is not interested in contesting. The party is struggling to find suitable candidates, especially in northern and southern Telangana.
Despite these challenges, KCR had discussions with leaders at his residence to finalize a candidate for the Zaheerabad LS segment. The party is considering fielding a candidate from the Munnurukapu community, with Gali Anil Kumar’s name being discussed for the position.