HYDERABAD: In a significant blow to the BJP, its national executive board member G Vivek Venkataswamy resigned from the primary membership of the party on Wednesday. Party spokesperson Enugu Rakesh Reddy also tendered his resignation. The duo’s departure comes just days after the exit of former MP and MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy.
Vivek, who also served as the BJP manifesto committee chairman, wasted no time and joined the Congress in the presence of senior party leader Rahul Gandhi. It is learnt that Vivek’s son Vamshi has been offered the ticket to contest from Chennur in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Rakesh Reddy, on the other hand, has not yet disclosed his future course of action.It may be mentioned that Vivek defected from the Congress to the BRS, BRS to Congress, then back to BRS before joining the BJP and finally returning to the Congress fold, completing a full circle in a span of over nine years.
Recounting Vivek’s long-standing association with the Gandhi family, TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy welcomed him into the Congress, stating that his induction would add strength equivalent to that of 1,000 elephants to the party.
Vivek stressed the need for a collective fight against the family rule of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. He said that Sonia Gandhi had envisioned Telangana with the hope of fulfilling the aspirations of its people, but those hopes remain unmet. His decision to join the Congress, he stated, is motivated by a desire to deliver justice to the people.
When asked if the party was offering him a ticket to contest the upcoming polls, he said that he didn’t join the party for a ticket. He, however, added that he would abide by the party’s decisions.
Boath MLA joins BJP
Meanwhile, Boath MLA Rathod Bapu Rao, who was denied the BRS ticket, joined the BJP in the presence of party’s State unit chief G Kishan Reddy and other senior leaders in Delhi.
Bapu Rao said that he was upset that BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao denied him an appointment despite repeated attempts. He also expressed dismay over the BRS denying tickets to three sitting MLAs in Adilabad district.
Meanwhile, responding to the exit of Vivek, Kishan said that the BJP is the world’s largest party and it won’t be affected if some individuals leave the party for personal gains.