Telangana BJP manifesto panel chief Vivek Venkataswamy joins Congress ahead of polls

Former MP G Vivek Venkataswamy has dealt a blow to the BJP ahead of the November 30 Assembly polls in Telangana by resigning from the party and joining the Congress. The move took place in the presence of AICC former president Rahul Gandhi. Vivek, who is a National Executive Board Member of the BJP, conveyed his decision in a letter to Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy. He was also the Chairman of the Telangana BJP manifesto committee for the Assembly polls.

Vivek, who was previously associated with the Congress during the Telangana statehood agitation, highlighted that he and other Congress MPs had fought for the formation of Telangana. He credited the then UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for fulfilling the demand for Telangana in response to the wishes of the people. However, he alleged that the aspirations of the people were not met in the new state. Vivek criticized the BRS government, claiming that it prioritized the interests of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's family over the welfare of the people. He emphasized the need for everyone to unite in order to overthrow the anti-people government of BRS.

TPCC President Revanth Reddy expressed his wholehearted welcome to Vivek for joining the Congress party, and Vivek accepted the invitation. Rahul Gandhi is currently participating in the poll campaign in Telangana. This development follows the recent resignation of senior leader Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, who had unsuccessfully contested on the saffron party ticket in the by-poll for the Munugode Assembly constituency last year. Raj Gopal Reddy resigned from the BJP and joined the Congress.


(Inputs from PTI)