Telangana Congress sees more exits to BRS, ticket to Azharuddin latest trigger

Earlier, Vishnuvardhan’s sister Vijaya Reddy had got the Congress ticket from Khairatabad.

The other senior leader to cross sides was Nagam Janardhan Reddy, a former minister in united Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004 and a five-time MLA from Nagarkurnool. Sources said he was hopeful for a ticket from somewhere in Mahbubnagar district, and was sent feelers by the BRS after he couldn’t manage one.

On Monday, supporters of several Congress leaders who were denied tickets also staged demonstrations at party offices.

BRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was present to welcome Vishnuvardhan and Nagam Janardhan into the party.

The switch to the BRS is happening despite the party already declaring candidates for 116 of the 119 Assembly seats. Those crossing over might be doing so in anticipation of post-election MLC seats and other nominated posts.

Earlier, after the Congress announced its first list too, leaders had left over denial of tickets, including former MLA E Shekhar (who wanted a ticket from Jadcherla) and ex-state president Ponnala Lakshmiah (after being denied a ticket from Jangaon).

Sources said several other Congress leaders might join them, with names of ticket seekers G Vengal Rao (aspirant from Kukatpally), Venkat Reddy (Parkal) J Raghava Reddy (Warangal), C Krishna Reddy (Munugode), M Saraswati (Asifabad), and Subhash Reddy (Yellareddy), doing the rounds.

Angry over the Congress nominating Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy from Munugode, hours after he quit the BJP and returned to the Congress, the supporters of Krishna Reddy tore posters and pelted stones at the local party office. Similar reports also came from other places.

The Congress announced its first list of 55 candidates on October 15 and its second list of 45 on October 27. There is a lot of jostling for the remaining 19 seats, with Left parties too seeking their share.

Telangana PCC chief A Revanth Reddy said the candidates were selected based on their winability and not out of any other consideration, as being alleged by some aspirants.

However, Subhash Reddy, who might defect too, and Erra Shekar, who left earlier, have claimed that no survey was undertaken by the PCC to grade the ticket aspirants. Nagam Janardhan, who joined the BRS Tuesday, said that many senior party leaders were ignored.