Telangana polls 2023: Turncoat leaders a strength or burden on host parties?

HYDERABAD: The ensuing Assembly elections in Telangana witnessed a massive shift of loyalties with leaders jumping parties with impunity. Disgruntled, neglected, driven away, and in search of greener pastures, these leaders cut across party affiliations and changed party scarfs in broad daylight.

While some of the turncoat leaders are young and have a lot of political careers ahead of them, some of them are old but loaded with experience. But few shift loyalties in a fit of anger and in an act of vengeance against the home party. Either way, they bring colour to the campaign.

NewsTAP compiled a short list of party hoppers who will have an impact on the outcome of the election. While some of them are nominated by the new party, others will have to wait for a better opportunity in their new home.

Jupally Krishna Rao

Suspended from the BRS for anti-party activity, the former legislator Jupally Krishna Rao joined the Congress Five-time MLA from Kodangal, Gurunath Reddy, son of BRS MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy, Kuchukulla Rajesh Reddy, and several others from erstwhile Mahbubnagar and Nizamabad districts also joined the Grand Old Party. The Congress has nominated Jupally for the Kollapur constituency.

Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy

Paleru Congress candidate Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy joined the party in the presence of Rahul Gandhi at the Khammam public meeting. Along with Ponguleti, Pidamarthi Ravi, Arikela Narsa Reddy, Payam Venkateshwarlu, Kanakaiah, DV Rao and Papireddy joined the Congress party. "KCR did not fulfill the promise of a farmer loan waiver. The Congress party will come to power in Telangana," said Ponguleti who was suspended from the BRS.

Ponnala Lakshmaiah

Former Telangana Congress president Ponnala Lakshmaiah joined the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) days after he resigned from the Grand Old Party. Lakshmaiah was inducted into the BRS at a public meeting in Jangaon in the presence of party president and chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. He cited the unjust environment in the party as the reason for quitting the party after a very long association.

Rathod Bapu Rao

Rathod Bapu Rao was denied a ticket by the ruling BRS in the ensuing Assembly elections and joined the BJP. He along with Congress leader Chalamala Krishna Reddy joined the BJP on the same day. Anil Jadhav (BRS) replaced the four-time MLA Rathod Bapu Rao in the Boath (ST) constituency.

Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy

In a setback to BJP, former MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy quit the party and rejoined Congress. “I am resigning from BJP under compelling circumstances. I thank the BJP leadership for allowing me to fight against the dictatorial KCR government in the Munugode bypoll. He returned home after he realised that the Congress had better chances compared to BJP in Telangana. Now he is contesting from Munigode.

G Vivek Venkataswamy

Following the footsteps of Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy who unsuccessfully contested on the saffron party ticket in the by-poll for the Munugode Assembly constituency last year, G Vivek Venkataswamy resigned from the BJP and joined the Congress. He was chairman of the State BJP manifesto committee.

Nagam Janarthana Reddy

Former Minister Nagam Janarthan Reddy quit the BJP and joined the BRS. Hours after Nagam Janardhan Reddy quit the Congress, BRS working president KT Rama Rao and Finance Minister T Harish Rao called on the former minister and six-time MLA and invited him to join the ruling party. He also had a meeting with BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan. Nagam, resigned from the Congress after it denied him the Nagarkurnool ticket.

Mynampally Hanumanth Rao

Malkajgiri MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao resigned from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party alleging indifference of the party towards addressing his grievances. The decision came after the party refused to grant his son Mynampally Rohit Medak Assembly seat. He then joined the Congress and is contesting from Malkajgiri on the Congress ticket.

Vishnuvardhan Reddy

Former MLA Vishnu Vardhan Reddy resigned from the Congress after the Congress allotted the Jubilee Hills ticket to former MP and cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, son of late P Janardhan Reddy was allegedly ‘cheated’ by the Congress. He is a young leader with promise, and the BRS assured him of a bright future in the pink party.

Dr Cheruku Sudhakar

Even as the elections were nearing the political exodus continued with the Congress leader from Nalgonda, Cheruku Sudhakar formally joining the BRS. Earlier he merged his Telangana Inti Party with the Congress.

However, he joined the BRS alleging that Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy’s hurt him immensely as he is a BC and accused Venkat Reddy of personally abusing him.

Jitta Balakrishna Reddy

Telangana Congress leader Jitta Balakrishna Reddy joined the BRS. BRS working president KTR said that Jitta Balakrishna Reddy's return to the BRS party was like a son returning home after 14 years.