Rocked by desertions, BRS not to throw hat in RS by-poll ring

Hyderabad : The BRS is not keen on contesting the Rajya Sabha bye election, as the party does not want to face the embarrassment of cross-voting by the MLAs if the election is held.

The Election Commission of India had issued notification for the bye election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Telangana. This seat originally belonged to the BRS, but it got vacant because of the resignation of BRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshava Rao, who had joined the Congress party recently.

The BRS, which had a strength of 39 seats, has now decreased to 28 thanks to the defection of party MLAs. The party lost the Cantonment bye election, where party candidate Nivedita lost to Sri Ganesh of the Congress party. Besides this, nine more MLAs have switched over to the Congress party in recent times. Sources said that the party leadership does not want to face the embarrassment of losing yet another election and cross-voting by the party MLAs. A senior leader of the party said, “The party does not have the strength, and even if we decide to contest and issue whips to the members, it is not sure how many would be on our side.”

The party had recently drawn a blank in the Lok Sabha elections and is coming out of shock in recent times. Rumours of the merger of BRS and BJP are also adding to the doubts in the minds of the cadre.

The BRS leader said that the party’s next focus would be on the panchayat elections. “People, especially the rural population, have come out of the illusion that the Congress would implement the promises. With cuts in the Rythu Bandhu and a decrease in loan waiver beneficiaries, they are vexed with this government; hence, they will support the party in the elections,” said the BRS leader.