Congress Ramps Up 'Operation Akarsh' In Telangana: Several Senior BRS Leaders Switch Sides, BJP Warns Against Touching Any Of Its MLAs

Telangana's BRS party faced another setback as its incumbent MLA and former minister, Kadiam Srihari, along with his daughter Kadiam Kavya, joined the Congress party in the presence of Chief Minister and TPCC president A Revanth Reddy.

Congress leaders had previously extended an invitation to Srihari to join the party as per a report by The Economic Times.

Srihari had expressed his intention to consider joining the Congress, stating that people were moving away from BRS for various reasons, and he wanted to serve the constituency and contribute positively.

Kavya, who was the BRS candidate from Warangal, also announced her decision to withdraw from the party, citing recent allegations of corruption and phone tapping against the previous K Chandrasekhar Rao-led regime.

In a significant development for the Congress, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijaya Laxmi R Gadwal joined the party on Saturday (30 March).

On Friday, senior BRS politician Keshav Rao announced his decision to return to the Congress fold. He was a key figure in the BRS party and had played a crucial role in its various programs. Before joining forces with KCR, he had served as the PCC president of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

As the Congress party ramps up its 'Operation Akarsh' to attract leaders from other parties, a war of words has erupted between Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and BJP floor leader in the assembly Alleti Maheshwar Reddy.

This comes in the wake of the minister's comments suggesting that eight BJP MLAs were in contact with the Congress party.

Maheshwar Reddy stated, “Venkat Reddy is ready to play the role of Eknath Shinde in Telangana, but since the BJP leadership does not have confidence in him, it is not supporting him.”