Hyderabad: In another blow to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijaylakshmi Gadwal is reportedly all set to join the Congress. If this goes through, this will be a huge setback to the BRS, as a chunk of its leaders have quit over the last few weeks.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) Telangana in-charge Deepa Das Munshi reportedly met Mayor Gadwal in the presence of her father and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Rajya Sabha MP K Keshav Rao.
While it is not yet confirmed how many others will go with her, sources from both sides suggested that Mayor Vijaylakshmi might also defect to the Congress in a day or two. Vijaylakshmi Gadwal got the political windmill going in February when she met chief minister Revanth Reddy. “She is likely to go, but right now she may not join officially,” a BRS functionary told Siasat.com.
Over the past week, sitting BRS MLA Danam Nagender and MP Ranjith Reddy both joined the Congress. Both of them have also been given Lok Sabha tickets as well. While Nagender has been nominated from the Secunderabad seat, Ranjit Reddy has been announced as the Chevella seat (which is currently the MP for) candidate. Prior to that sitting BRS MPs from the Nagarkurnool and Zaheerabad seats both joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
”The party is looking to make a good comeback in the GHMC elections that will be held in 2026. BRS corporators will also join the Congress soon. Since we did not win any seats in Hyderabad during the GHMC elections, we have to also focus on the GHMC area,” said a senior Congress leader from Hyderabad.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, the Congress won with 64 out of 119 seats, while the BRS and BJP bagged 39 and eight seats. The AIMIM managed to retain its seven seats. The grand old party is doing its best to win over 10 seats in Telangana out of 17, given that it is one of the handful of states it is in power. In the coming Lok Sabha polls, observers are expecting a direct fight with the BJP, and are expecting the BRS to win only a few seats at best.
