In a major setback for K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana, two of its senior leaders including one MLC and a sitting legislator, left the party on Friday. Two-time MLA from Khanapur Ajmeera Rekha Naik has announced her resignation from the party after conducting a meeting with her followers on Friday.
While MLC Kasireddy Narayana Reddy joined the Congress in the presence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital.
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Rekha was unhappy with the party as she was denied a ticket to contest in the forthcoming assembly polls. "I served this party (BRS) for the past 12 years. I will tell the people the services I rendered. I will show my strength. I have not betrayed the party. You (party) betrayed me... I am resigning from the BRS party," the MLA told reporters, as quoted by news agency PTI.
In the 2018 elections, Rekha Naik won the seat against Ramesh Rathod of the Congress by a margin of 20,710 votes. She also defeated Rithesh Rathod of the Congress in the 2014 elections. However, she was replaced by Bhukya Johnson Naik from Khanapur for the upcoming assembly elections.
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Rekha said that she would contest as a rebel candidate or from some other party from the Khanapur constituency.
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Meanwhile, Kasireddy Narayana Reddy while speaking to reporters in Delhi said despite having four years left of his MLC tenure, he joined the Congress in the presence of Mallikarjun Kharge and PCC president Revanth Reddy. He also asserted that several other leaders from Nagarkurnool district have also joined Congres along with him.
Kasireddy Reddy said that his supporters and followers advised him to join the Congress since the "six guarantees" it has announced recently are beneficial to people. He also emphasised that if Congress provides him an opportunity, he will contest the upcoming polls.
The Telangana assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 119 members of the state's Legislative assembly. However, the official dates have not been announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).