Tummala quits BRS, joins Cong in Kharge’s presence

Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS leader Tummala Nageshwara Rao parted ways with the BRS and joined the Congress party on Saturday. This senior leader, hailing from Khammam district, had distanced himself from the party activities for the past few years. He joined the Congress in the presence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge at a star hotel in city, where the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting was being held.Nageshwara Rao had previously contested as BRS candidate from the Palair assembly constituency in Khammam and lost the 2018 assembly elections. However, this time around, he did not get a BRS ticket due to the party’s policy of favouring incumbent MLAs. Disappointed by this decision, Nageshwara Rao made the decision to leave the BRS. He announced his intention to contest in the upcoming assembly elections after a meeting with his supporters last month.Meanwhile, state Congress president A Revanth Reddy, invited Nageshwara Rao into the party. Insiders said, given the application of former MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy for the Palair ticket, the party may field Nageshwara Rao from Khammam segment in the upcoming elections. The party is hopeful that Nageshwara Rao’s following in ten constituencies, will bolster the party’s presence in Khammam.The 69-year-old Nageshwara Rao began his political journey with the Telugu Desam party in 1982. He was elected thrice on a TDP ticket in 1985, 1995, and 1999, and served as a minister in the cabinets of NT Rama Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu in the undivided Andhra Pradesh government. After two decades with the TDP, he left the party in September 2014 upon an invitation from KCR and subsequently joined the BRS cabinet as roads and buildings minister in December 2014. In 2016, he won a bypoll in Palair constituency.The gap between Nageshwara Rao and the BRS widened when the party admitted Kandala Upender Reddy, who had won on a Congress ticket from Palair in 2018, into its ranks. This decision did not sit well with Nageshwara Rao, leading to his reduced activity within the party over the past two years. Notably, his last public appearance with chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was about a year ago during the CM's visit to Bhadrachalam. Despite rumours of his resignation, the party leadership did not attempt to reconcile with him.

Telangana assembly polls: Former BRS leader Tummala Nageswara Rao may join Congress today

TPCC Chief A Revanth Reddy expects several new members to join the Congress party at Sonia Gandhi's rally in Tukkuguda on September 17. He, along with other top leaders, met with former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and urged him to join the party. Though Tummala has not made a formal announcement, sources suggest he may join either on Saturday or during the rally. There is uncertainty regarding YSRTP Chief YS Sharmila's attendance. Suspended BJP leaders and a former MLA are also expected to join Congress at the rally. Former BRS MLA Nallala Odelu has already joined the party.

Telangana is vexed with BRS: Kishan

Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy criticized the BRS government, stating that the youth in Telangana are resorting to suicide due to unemployment. He urged people to vote wisely and warned that the future of the state would be ruined if BRS, controlled by AIMIM, remains in power. Reddy also claimed that voting for BRS would lead to autocracy and emphasized that only the BJP can protect democracy in Telangana. The BRS party has managed to handle rebel threats and is preparing for the upcoming assembly elections.

Back to autocracy if BRS voted to power

BJP state chief G Kishan Reddy has claimed that only his party can protect democracy in Telangana, while a vote for BRS would bring back autocracy. He alleged that the DNA of Congress and BRS was the same and that they acted like rivals despite being two sides of the same coin. Reddy also warned that if BRS came to power again, it would increase the state's debt burden and result in the sale of public land.

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