In a significant political development, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is facing another major setback as two more MLAs are set to defect to the Congress party. MLA Prakash Goud is poised to join the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He has already arrived at Revanth Reddy’s residence for this purpose. Additionally, Serilingampally MLA Arikapudi Gandhi is expected to join the Congress at 10 am tomorrow, reportedly preparing to don the Congress scarf in the presence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
This potential defection follows the departure of seven other MLAs from the BRS to the ruling Congress. If Goud and Gandhi make the switch, the total number of defected MLAs will rise to nine. In the last assembly elections, the Congress secured 64 seats, while the BRS won 39. The by-election necessitated by the death of Cantonment BRS MLA Lasya Nandita in a road accident resulted in a Congress victory, reducing the BRS strength to 38 and increasing the Congress tally to 65.
With the defection of seven MLAs, the BRS’s strength has dwindled to 31. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy aims to further weaken the BRS by inducting all 26 remaining MLAs into the Congress, effectively merging the BRS legislature party with the Congress.