HYDERABAD: Why did defection of BRS MLAs into the Congress suddenly stop?
Is it because the Congress is unable to give a categorical assurance that they would be fielded in the next Assembly elections on party ticket?
The grand old party is unable to give an assurance to this effect as it is not that easy in a national party compared to a regional outfit.
As the party leadership is mincing words on assuring them tickets in the next elections, the BRS MLAs who wanted to jump ship are having second thoughts.
Some of them want an assurance of party tickets from the chief minister for them to join the Congress. They have already raised their demand with the CM’s core team.
This apart, as there is opposition to their entry into the Congress, the prospective turncoats wonder if it is wise to join the grand old party.
Fear of backlash
The party, at present, is not in a position to give a categorical assurance of tickets since there are party leaders in each constituency where the BRS had won, who want to be fielded on party tickets in the next elections. If the BRS MLAs in their constituencies join the Congress and the party promises tickets to them, there might be a backlash from the Congress leaders.
Party sources said that already this problem has arisen in constituencies where BRS MLAs switched loyalty to the ruling party. There is a cold war brewing between the lateral entrants and the original leaders in Gadwal, Jagtial, Ghanpur, Bhadrachalam and Khairatabad, Serilingampally, Rajendranagar and Chevella, to name a few. The
Congress leadership is afraid that the group politics would come to fore if more number of BRS MLAs join the Congress which might sully the image of the party.
In dilemma
As far as BRS MLAs are concerned, they seem to be worried that they may not get MLA tickets in constituencies where the native leaders are strong. In such a scenario, they would neither lose on both the counts as they have already become pariahs in the BRS.
A few ministers, senior MLAs, and leaders are opposing admitting BRS MLAs from some constituencies. They have already brought to the notice of the party high command that if defections are allowed local cadre committed to original leaders of the Congress might forsake the party. They might even join the BRS which might strengthen it organisationally.
It will be interesting to watch how Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will sail through the choppy waters of internal opposition in the party in onboarding more number of MLAs from opposition BRS.