JAGTIAL: Former minister T Jeevan Reddy, who recently quit the Congress, appears set to join the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
On Thursday, BRS working president KT Rama Rao, accompanied by some of his party MLAs, visited Jeevan Reddy’s residence in Jagtial and formally invited him to join the party.
Jeevan Reddy signalled his inclination towards the BRS by saying that K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) should return as chief minister for the future of the state.
He criticised the Congress government, alleging that welfare schemes had disappeared and development had regressed. “I have endured mental anguish for the past 20 months. I believed that Congress would provide better governance than the BRS, but that has not happened,” the former minister said.
He added that the decision followed consultations with the public and inputs from supporters. He also noted that he had an opportunity to work under KCR in 2014 but did not join the party then.
Rama Rao said the invitation was extended on behalf of KCR and that Jeevan Reddy was likely to meet him soon. “We are hopeful that he will join the BRS after meeting KCR within the next two to three days,” he said, adding that the party would offer Jeevan Reddy a suitable position.
Earlier, tension prevailed for some time at Jeevan Reddy’s residence when BRS leaders arrived, as activists and followers surged forward. In the melee, several media personnel fell and their cameras were damaged.