Cong invites senior BRS MLA Kadiam Srihari to join party

Hyderabad, Mar 29 (PTI) The ruling Congress in Telangana on Friday invited senior BRS MLA and former deputy chief minister Kadiam Srihari and his daughter Kadiam Kavya to join the party. This came a day after Kadiam Kavya, who was BRS Lok Sabha candidate from Warangal, decided to opt out of the contest.

AICC in-charge of party affairs in Telangana Deepa Dasmunsi, PCC senior vice-president Mallu Ravi and other party leaders called on Srihari and Kavya here and invited them to join the party. “Today, we have come here to Kadiam Srihari ji’s house. I am just carrying the party’s request from AICC, just requesting him and inviting him to join the Congress party. It is our request to both Kadiam Srihari ji and Dr Kavya that if they can join our party, Congress, and strengthen our party. This is our request from Congress,” Deepa Dasmunsi told reporters after the meeting.

Srihari was cordial to them, she said. “We are waiting for their reply. They will reply very soon,” she said. Observing that Deepa Dasmunsi and other representatives of both AICC and PCC invited him to join Congress, Srihari said he will take a decision in a day or two after consulting his followers and well-wishers. Asked about reports that his daughter would be fielded as a Congress candidate, Srihari said he has not yet joined Congress. He asked how it can be said that she will be Congress candidate.

Asked about several leaders quitting BRS, he said it (BRS) is losing ground due to various reasons. “For various reasons, people are moving away from BRS. So, to serve the people and to do something for the constituency, we have to take a call,” Srihari said. Kavya, who was BRS candidate from Warangal, on Thursday announced her decision to opt out. In a letter to BRS president KCR, Kavya cited recent allegations of corruption and phone-tapping against the previous BRS regime behind her decision. The allegations have lowered the party’s prestige, she said.

The alleged lack of coordination among BRS leaders in Warangal district would hurt the party further, she said. Meanwhile, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, son of party president and former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, regretted that some leaders are quitting the party after having enjoyed power for 10 years. “After enjoying power for 10 years, some throw stones while leaving. It looks strange when we hear the comments of some. But, they are elders. I don’t want to say anything. Let’s leave it to their wisdom. Time will give answers to everything,” he said.

Rama Rao, who was addressing a meeting of BRS leaders and workers of Chevella Lok Sabha constituency on Friday, slammed sitting BRS MP from Chevella G Ranjit Reddy and another leader Patnam Mahender Reddy who quit the party recently. It is the responsibility of BRS leaders and activists to get back at those who joined the other party with smiles on the day KCR’s daughter (BRS MLC Kavitha) was arrested, he said. “We will not let Patnam Mahender Reddy and Ranjit Reddy join the party again even if they come and touch the feet of KCR,” Rama Rao said. The BRS has seen several party leaders quitting the party in recent weeks after its defeat in the 2023 Assembly polls. While BRS MLA Danam Nagender and Ranjit Reddy joined Congress, two other party MPs B B Patil and P Ramulu switched over to BJP. Senior BRS leader and Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao has also indicated his plans to quit the party.