BRS suspends two senior leaders for alleged anti-party activities

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) suspended former minister Jupally Krishna Rao and former Member of Parliament (MP) Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy for alleged anti-party activities. The party's central office announced on Monday, April 10 that the two have been suspended on the orders of party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The suspension came a day after Krishna Rao joined Srinivas Reddy, who had already raised the banner of revolt against the leadership of KCR.

Krishna Rao on Sunday, April 9 attended an Athmeeya Sammelanam programme organised by Srinivas Reddy in Kothagudem, where he slammed KCR for what he called the suppression of democratic voices. Krishna Rao alleged that instead of acting as a trustee of the state government and protecting people, the KCR government is suppressing democracy. "People who fought for Telangana statehood have been completely sidelined after KCR became the Chief Minister. People are suffering under KCR's rule," the former minister alleged.

"Sarpanches are worried as the government failed to clear the pending bills and so are the contractors who completed irrigation projects," he added. Krishna Rao also alleged that when people question KCR about these issues, they are harassed and police cases filed against them. He remarked that KCR and his family members are acting like kings and neglecting people and their problems.

Krishna Rao felt sidelined in the party after MLA Harshvardhan Reddy, who had defeated him in Kollapur constituency in Mahabubnagar district in 2018, switched his loyalties from the Congress to TRS (now BRS) after the Assembly polls. A few months ago, Krishna Rao had dared Harshvardhan Reddy for a debate on the constituency development. Krishna Rao had resigned from the Congress to join TRS in 2011. He was elected from Kollapur in 2014 on a TRS ticket.

Srinivas Reddy said that KCR is dreaming of becoming a chief minister for the third time but it will remain a dream. Srinivas Reddy, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Khammam on YSR Congress Party ticket in 2014, later switched loyalties to TRS. He alleged that TRS leadership had made many promises but failed to fulfil them.

He raised a banner of revolt after he was not even invited for the January 18 public meeting organised by the BRS in Khammam. It was the first meeting of BRS after it changed its name. He recently met YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) leader Y S Sharmila amid reports that he is planning to join the party.

(With IANS inputs)