HYDERABAD: Political circles were abuzz with talk of a tit-for-tat game after senior BJP leaders held a clandestine meeting with veteran Congress leaders and extended them an invitation to join the saffron party on Monday. This move is being seen as a response to the recent success of Congress in attracting prominent personalities from the BJP and BRS.
Speculation is rife within BJP circles that DK Aruna, the party’s national vice-president, played a key role in extending invitations to former MLCs and other senior Congress leaders, given the growing interest in political circles in the State.
One of the potential additions to the BJP is a former MLC who has kept away from active politics since the formation of Telangana. Known for his close association with the former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, this former MLC is likely to join the BJP in the near future.
Additionally, sources have indicated that another former MLA, who has been inactive in the Congress, is also seeking to re-enter politics by joining the BJP.
The ongoing “poaching operations” between the two parties have generated considerable curiosity within political circles, particularly among the Congress and BJP, as the two parties vie for an upper hand ahead of the elections. The BJP has successfully enticed several prominent Congress leaders since the 2018 and 2019 elections, while the grand old party intensified its recruitment efforts after its victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections.
The BJP’s recent welcoming of former Nirmal MLA Aletti Maheswar Reddy has bolstered its ranks, and the party plans to attract several more prominent leaders from the party. However, despite the party’s best efforts, a former MP and a former minister have shown no interest in joining the BJP.