HYDERABAD: With the Jubilee Hills Assembly byelection fast approaching, the ruling Congress is aggressively fortifying its position in the constituency, engineering a significant exodus of cadre from the opposition BRS.
The strategic inductions are central to the party’s campaign to bolster its candidate, V Naveen Yadav, for the November 11 bypoll.
In a major show of strength on Wednesday, over 500 BRS members switched allegiance to the Congress at two separate events. The defections were overseen by Revenue & Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Minister D Anasuya alias Seethakka, with party sources indicating more joinings are expected in the coming days.
At one event, senior BRS leader Syed Siraj from the Borabanda division, along with his followers, formally joined the Congress in the presence of Seethakka.
Addressing the gathering, Seethakka underscored the Congress’s legacy of inclusive policies for minority welfare. She highlighted that the Congress-led UPA government had established the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2006 and commissioned the Sachar Committee to study the socioeconomic status of Muslims.
She accused the previous BRS government of reneging on its promise to provide 12% reservations for Muslims, reaffirming the Congress’ commitment to secularism and equal rights for all communities.
At another event in the Rehamatnagar division, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy welcomed approximately 300 BRS workers, led by local leaders Basada Krishna, Laxmi, and Chapala Krishna, into the party fold.
Later, during a whistlestop meeting following a brief padayatra, the minister made a significant pledge. He assured that the government would provide housing to all eligible poor in the Jubilee Hills constituency.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, he stated that all pending 2BHK dignity housing projects would be completed and the units distributed to beneficiaries. He noted that the government has already sanctioned over three lakh houses across Telangana, with construction underway at various stages statewide.
