ADILABAD: After one-and-a-half decade of dominance, the BRS seems to be slowly but steadily losing its grip in the erstwhile Adilabad district.
The morale of the cadre and leaders is at an all-time low ever since the party suffered a blow in the 2023 Assembly elections, when it managed to secure just two segments — Asifabad and Boath — out of the 10 constituencies in the erstwhile district.
The leadership’s attempts to boost their morale seems to be proving futile as was evident from their lack of interest in taking part in the party’s campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
For instance, the party’s candidate in Adilabad LS segment Atram Sakku began his campaign in Narnoor mandal on Wednesday but the response has been lukewarm to say the least.
Sakku started his election campaign amidst much fanfare by offering prayers at the Keslapur Nagoba Temple in Indravelly mandal. However, with not many local leaders or cadre turning up, he had to conduct his door-to-door campaign along with a bunch of his own supporters.
The cadre not showing interest in party activities has been the case in the last few months. The leaders too are maintaining a low profile and keeping themselves away from party programmes.
Former Nirmal MLA and ex-minister A Indrakaran Reddy, for example, was conspicuous by his absence when party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao held a meeting to discuss LS polls in Hyderabad recently.
Meanwhile, two MLAs are believed to be waiting for an opportunity to join the ruling Congress. If sources are to be believed, it is a matter of time before Asifabad legislator Kova Laxmi changes her loyalty to the grand old party.
The party’s Nirmal district unit president and former Mudhole MLA G Vittal Reddy and Kumurambheem-Asifabad district chief and former legislator from Sirpur Koneru Konappa have already joined the Congress, leaving the BRS with no strong leader in their respective constituencies.