Operation akarsh? 4 BRS MLAs meet Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy amid switchover buzz

HYDERABAD: Hours after roads and buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said 30 BRS MLAs may join Congress after Lok Sabha elections, four legislators from the pink party on Tuesday met chief minister A Revanth Reddy at his Jubilee Hills residence, giving rise to speculation whether the grand old party started 'operation akarsh' to strengthen its numbers in the assembly.

Currently, Congress has 64 MLAs, just four more than the magic figure of 60 for majority in the assembly. The party's ally CPI won a seat. Though Revanth reportedly told an internal meeting of Congress that poaching of opposition MLAs would bring bad name to the party and might not be done immediately, sources did not rule out the possibility of the ruling party paying BRS back in its own coin.

In June 2019, then chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was accused of poaching 12 out of 18 Congress MLAs when they merged Congress Legislature Party with TRSLP.

BRS MLAs' meeting more than courtesy call: Sources
BRS MLAs, who met Revanth include Kotha Prabhakar Reddy (Dubbak), V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy (Narsapur), G Mahipal Reddy (Patancheru) and K Manik Rao (Zahirabad). Though they termed it a courtesy call and that they urged the CM to be generous in release of funds for the development of their constituencies, the buzz in political circles was "the meeting was more than a courtesy call" given the fact that Congress was trying to consolidate its position ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

When Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said that 30 BRS legislators were in touch with Congress and they would join the grand old party after Lok Sabha elections, it was taken as a statement to counter former energy minister G Jagadish Reddy's comment that the days of the new Congress government were numbered.

Sources told TOI that the four legislators' team was led by Prabhakar Reddy. They had gone to meet a senior police officer in the rank of additional DG to request enhancement in security and protocol vehicles.

"Kotha Prabhakar Reddy secured the appointment of Revanth. While the Dubbak MLA submitted a representation, the three other legislators orally sought funds for their constituencies and requested the CM to direct police to ensure protocol is followed," a source close to the MLAs said.

Sunitha Lakshma Reddy said they were all BRS workers and there was nothing more to read into their meeting with the CM. "It was purely a courtesy call and we urged him for constituency development," she said.

Even Manik Rao maintained the same line, stating too much was being read into the meeting. It was not planned at all. "We aren't going anywhere," he said.

But sources in Congress said this could be just the tip of the iceberg. Prabhakar Reddy might be considered for the Medak Lok Sabha seat if he joins Congress.