Patancheru BRS MLA meets Revanth Reddy, may shift loyalties soon
The Hindu
Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy likely to join Congress along with other BRS MLA from Hyderabad.
In what looks to be yet another Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA shifting loyalties, Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy met Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at his residence in Hyderabad late on Saturday.
What transpired between them is not known but sources said he is likely to join the Congress in a few days along with some other BRS MLAs from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. He has sought time till an auspicious day to take the plunge.
Mr. Mahipal Reddy was in the news recently with the Enforcement Directorate arresting his brother for violations in mining and non-payment of taxes running into crores of rupees. He is a three-time MLA having won in 2014, 2018 and in 2023.
So far, nine BRS MLAs have joined the Congress including some from the capital city and the Congress seems to be focussing on the city MLAs to strengthen itself in Hyderabad where it was weakened by the BRS that targeted strong leaders of the Congress and the TDP.
Sources in the Congress party said that all the city MLAs were in touch with the party leaders while some wanted the Chief Minister himself to invite them into the party. Advisor to the government, Vem Narender Reddy is presently engaging the BRS MLAs sending feelers apart from approaching them personally. Khairatabad DCC president Rohin Reddy is also part of the team that is constantly reviewing the episode.
The Congress party has been quite weak in the GHMC limits unable to win even a single seat in the Assembly elections while the BRS won 14 seats. However, Congress opened its account winning the Secunderabad Cantonment by-poll after the death of BRS MLA Lasya Nandita in a road accident.
Earlier, six members of the Legislative Council (MLC) of the BRS also joined the Congress including some from the city. But BRS still has the advantage in the city in terms of the number of MLAs and it is trying hard to keep them from slipping away.
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