Car tyres punctured: BRS MPs move out to BJP and Congress

New Delhi: Out of power in Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi is witnessing exodus of its Lok Sabha MPs, ahead of the elections. Many BRS MPs see better prospects for themselves in BJP or Congress as they calculate that the LS polls would be a direct contest between the two national parties in majority of the 17 Lok Sabha seats. Congress trounced BRS, which renamed itself for a 'national profile,' in the assembly elections held last yearend.

BRS MP BB Patil joined BJP in the presence of Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and national general secretary Tarun Chugh in the national capital on Friday. A day earlier, his colleague Pothuganti Ramulu too had joined BJP. Last month, Borlakunta Venkatesh Netha of BRS, who represented Peddapalli, had joined Congress. Two more BRS MPs are in talks with BJP, while another two MPs are in touch with Congress, according to party insiders.

There is unanimous opinion among MP colleagues to join either one of the national parties, or avoid contesting the polls, after the party's defeat in the assembly polls, a BRS MP said on condition of anonymity. Another BRS MP said the bigger problem for the party leadership was that party chief K Chandrasekhara Rao was yet to recover from the 'shock defeat' in the assembly polls. Leaders close to KCR, however, said that BRS may field former ministers and sitting MLAs in the Lok Sabha elections to regain lost ground. There is buzz in the party that KCR may contest the elections to galvanise party workers.