How BRS in Telangana is battling high-profile defections

With the BRS is in disarray, the party announced that it will have an alliance with BSP for the Lok Sabha polls

Bharat Rashtra Samhiti in Telangana is facing the brunt of defections leading up to the 2024 general elections. Five of nine BRS MPs quitting party since its December assembly poll defeat signals a churn within the party.

The party--(BRS) is battling several high-profile defections, and trying desperately to come to terms with the Assembly poll loss, has suffered another major setback with the arrest of KCR’s daughter K Kavitha in connection with the  Delhi excise policy case.

BRS battles several high-profile defections

In the 2019 elections, the BRS won nine Lok Sabha seats, followed by the BJP with four, and the Congress with three. Five BRS MPs —  Venkatesh Nethakani (Peddapalli SC), B.B. Patil (Zaheerabad), P. Ramulu (Nagarkurnool SC), Pasunuri Dayakar (Warangal SC) and G. Ranjit Reddy (Chevella) — have already defected to other parties since the assembly poll debacle in December.

While Venkatesh, Dayakar, and Ranjit Reddy have crossed over to the Congress, the other two have defected to the BJP, Patil was named a BJP candidate from Zaheerabad a day after joining the saffron party and Mr. Ramulu’s son, P. Bharat, has been chosen as the BJP’s Nagarkurnool candidate.

How BRS plans to negate defections

The BRS has so far announced only five candidates amidst the spate of desertions and unwillingness of some of its leaders to enter the poll fray. Among the latter are the sitting MP of Chevella G. Ranjeet Reddy and strongman C. Malla Reddy’s son Bhadra Reddy.

Can BRS use its alliance with BSP to better its electoral prospects?

With the BRS is in disarray, the party announced that it will have an alliance with BSP for the Lok Sabha polls. In view of this, Congress needs to ensure that it gets the votes of Dalits and other backward sections in bulk.

Congress, BJP look  to capitalize on its gains

Riding on its success in the recent Legislative Assembly polls, the ruling Congress in Telangana is banking on the implementation of its poll 'guarantees' to score big in the Lok Sabha elections. The morale of Congress cadre is high following the 2023 win. The BJP, riding high on its growing voter base in Telangana, is now aiming to win over 12 out of the total 17 seats and 35 per cent vote share, in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress leader maintain that the influx of leaders from the BRS is expected to play a significant role in helping the party achieve its target of 14-plus of the state’s total 17 Lok Sabha seats.

How KCR rechristened the Telangana Rashtra Samithi to BRS 

Over the last few years after KCR rechristened the Telangana Rashtra Samithi to BRS to go national, offices were set up in different states. The ex-chief minister specifically was looking at Maharashtra which shares a border with Telangana. A lot of leaders including ex-legislators from Maharashtra had also joined the BRS and made it seem as if something was building up.

Congress' two-pronged attack

The Congress, having wrested power in Telangana after Karnataka months earlier, got a fresh breath of life from its 64-seat win. It has since launched a two-pronged attack on the BRS – on its government’s alleged mis-governance, and on the party’s political standing in the state.

How BJP is milking the situation

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been taking advantage of the disagreement within the BRS and actively contacting defectors to strengthen its party.

According to various reports, PM Narendra Modi's rally in Telangana has increased the number of BRS members switching to the BJP. The BJP's decision to field candidates with BRS backgrounds is a part of its strategy to utilise the talented workforce within the BRS, even though there is internal dissatisfaction among grassroots workers.