Weeks before the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, Bharat Rashtra Samithi received a jolt with its senior leader and Lok Sabha member from Nagarkurnool constituency Pothuganti Ramulu on Thursday resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Ramulu, along with his son Bharat and three other BRS leaders, were admitted into the BJP in New Delhi by party in-charge of Telangana affairs Tarun Chugh and Union minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar.
As everybody does, Ramulu also said he had joined the BJP as he was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programmes and policies and his efforts in making India a superpower in the world.
Welcoming Ramulu and his son into the party, Tarun Chugh said several leaders were deserting the BRS as it was a sinking ship and were joining the BJP.
“I am sure the welfare and development schemes taken up by the Modi government will help the BJP win all the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana,” Chugh said.
Ramulu, who doesn’t enjoy good relations with local BRS leaders in Nagarkurnool, especially district BRS president Guvvala Balarju, had been keeping away from the party activities for quite some time. He or his son is likely to be given the BJP ticket from Nagarkurnool this time.
A native of Gunduru village in Kalwakurthy mandal, Ramulu previously worked as a government teacher. After quitting government service, he joined politics in 1994.
He was elected as an MLA on a TDP ticket thrice — in the 1994, 1999 and 2009 elections — from Achampet Assembly segment.
He served as the sports and youth services minister in N Chandrababu Naidu’s Cabinet. After the formation of Telangana state, he quit the TDP and joined the BRS (then TRS). He went on to win in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Nagarkurnool.
Meanwhile, another Lok Sabha member of the BRS – B B Patil from Zaheerabad, is also likely to quit his party and join the BJP in a day or two.
He is also presently in New Delhi, holding discussions with the top BJP leaders for the party ticket from Zaheerabad again.
