Ignoring the desperate attempt by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership to retain him in the party, former MLA Aruri Ramesh is all set to join the BJP on Sunday.
Sources said Mr. Aruri Ramesh, who was taken from his Warangal residence earlier this week and made to meet BRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao, is joining the BJP in the presence of State unit chief and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy. The BJP leadership it is understood has decided to name him as the party nominee from Warangal SC reserved constituency.
It may be recalled that high drama took place in Warangal earlier this week when Mr. Ramesh was about to hold a press conference to announce his decision to join the BJP. Senior BRS leaders arrived there and brought him to Hyderabad for a meeting with Mr. Chandrashekhar Rao. A day before that Mr. Ramesh had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Hyderabad.
But, it is understood that Mr. Ramesh on his return home and conveyed to the BJP leaders his determination to join the party. MRPS founder chief Manda Krishna Madiga is said to have played a big role in bring Mr. Ramesh and another leader G. Srinivas into the BJP fold. Mr. Srinivas was announced as candidate from Peddapalli SC reserved seat.
The party is strongly pitching to field Jalagam Venkat Rao from Khammam constituency after he joined the party in New Delhi. However, a few senior RSS leaders are said to be backing the candidature of a businessman Vinod Rao. Sources said the party will ultimately give the ticket to Mr. Venkat Rao.
By roping in two more leaders from other parties, the BJP‘s list of candidates with outsider tag will increase further.
