Former Telangana MLA resigns from BJP, likely to join Congress

BJP MP and party’s parliamentary board member Dr K Laxman meanwhile, accused Reddy of betraying the party which had given him a position at the national level

Former Munugode lawmaker and Bharatiya Janata Party national executive committee member Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy on Wednesday resigned from the party while announcing his return to the Congress even as he accused the central government of “failing to take action against the corrupt Bharat Rashtra Samithi government” in the state.

Former MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy said he had joined the BJP 15 months ago hoping that it was the only party which had the “capacity to pull down the corrupt, anarchic and despotic family rule” in Telangana. (ANI)

The former MLA said in a statement that he decided to quit the BJP and join the Congress in tune with the aspirations of the people of the state.

“There is a serious anti-incumbency against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in the state. There are clear indications that the people desperately want a change in the government,” he said.

Reddy said one-a-half years ago, the BJP had grown into a “powerful alternative to the ruling BRS” in Telangana, but had “subsequently collapsed” following certain political developments. “The people are now looking up to the Congress as an alternative to the BRS. I, too, have decided to go as per the wishes of the people,” he said.

He added he had joined the BJP 15 months ago hoping that it was the only party which had the “capacity to pull down the corrupt, anarchic and despotic family rule” in the state.

“I had quit the Congress and my assembly membership from Munugode. I contested the bypolls to the seat in the last week of October 2022. I had lost the elections with a slender margin due to money and muscle power of the BRS. I thank every leader and worker for supporting me in the Munugode by-elections,” he said.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda for reposing faith in him, Reddy, however, alleged that the “Centre had failed to take action against the corrupt BRS government, leading to suspicions among the people”.

Stating that his only objective “was to liberate Telangana from the family rule of K Chandrashekar Rao” popularly known as KCR, the former MLA said he was hopeful that his objective would be fulfilled in the next five weeks. He thanked the BJP leadership for giving him an opportunity “to fight against the BRS government”. “I hope the BJP leadership will understand my decision,” he said.

Reacting to the development, a BJP leader on the condition of anonymity said: “For the last few months, Reddy had not been actively participating in the party programmes. His name was missing from the first list of candidates announced by the BJP on Sunday, as he was keen on contesting the ensuing assembly election from the LB Nagar constituency”.

Union tourism minister G Kishan Reddy refused to comment on the matter calling it the leader’s “personal decision”.

“It is his personal decision and his wish. But it is not correct on his part to say that the BJP is not an alternative to the BRS. It is his wishful thinking that only the Congress can defeat the BRS,” he said.

BJP MP and party’s parliamentary board member Dr K Laxman meanwhile, accused Reddy of betraying the party which had given him a position at the national level. “He should not make irresponsible statements now ... The BJP is going all out to defeat the BRS in the elections,” he said.

Congress MP and Rajagopal Reddy’s elder brother Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, a member of the PCC screening committee, said he was not aware of his brother joining the Congress. “It is for the party high command to decide on his admission. The party will decide whom to field from which constituency. It’s decision is final,” he said.

BRS spokesman Dasoju Sravan could not be reached for comment.