Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy claimed that Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) would lose badly in the ensuing Parliament elections and that BRS MLAs are ready to join the Congress.
About 25 MLAs may join soon and another nine MLAs in a couple of months, he claimed relating the development to the lost trust of the MLAs on their leader.
Speaking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan, Mr. Reddy said that BRS’s strength reduced from 108 to 39 members in the Assembly as people have rejected them. With the Parliament elections likely to give them a death blow, BRS MLAs are looking at the Congress. The BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s arrogance is a major factor, he said.
Later, Mr. Reddy said the Congress was not encouraging defections but the MLAs were unhappy with KCR and they have realised that his intentions were not sincere.
Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao countered BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao’s attack on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s visit to New Delhi several times stating that Mr. Reddy gets an appointment with the party president whenever he goes to discuss party issues. Unlike KCR who doesn’t give appointments to his party MLAs and also Ministers during his term, the Congress president and top leadership meets Congress leaders on regular basis, he said.
“Yes, Mr. Revanth Reddy has gone to New Delhi 12 times as KTR claimed and he will go another 30 times to discuss with the party leadership. What is your problem?” he asked KTR.