Hyderabad: ‘Op Akarsh’: BRS readying to poach key Cong leaders

Hyderabad : The BRS leadership is ready for ‘Operation Akarsh’ to poach the Congress leaders soon after the candidates are announced. The party is focusing on Khammam, Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda, where it is facing challenges to win more seats in the upcoming elections.

According to sources, the party is focusing on Khammam, Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda districts for implementing the operation. The leaders are identifying probable leaders who wish to join the party. Sources said senior leaders are using those who have good relations with the Congress for inducing them to join the party.

The BRS leaders said there are three-four aspirants in the Congress for ticket in every constituency; even if one gets ticket, others will look at other parties. “This is a tit-for-tat for the Congress leaders who had taken the BRS leaders who did not get ticket. Same thing will happen with the Congress leaders because they can be given government posts immediately,” said a senior leader.

The Congress has taken some BRS leaders, who did not get tickets, to Delhi. Now the ruling party is aiming to repeat this.

Sources said BRS leaders are focusing on the three districts. The party has already roped in BJP leader Koneru Chinni, former Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s follower Tellam Venkata Rao from Congress. Several Congress leaders of Bhadrachalam, including district vice-president T Venkataramana and others, joined the BRS in the presence of KTR here on Friday.

The sources said soon a big leader from Munugode will join the ruling party. Similarly, there is a big list of leaders from Mahbubnagar who will also be joining. The leaders said once tickets are announced in the Opposition camp, aspirants who did not get tickets will be looking at alternatives; the BRS in power will be better alternative for them, a BRS leader said.