Hyderabad, 5 July

In a major setback to the Opposition BRS in Telangana, six party MLCs joined the ruling Congress late on Thursday night in the presence of state Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi continues to suffer from desertions, with several leaders, including six MLAs, leaving the party after its defeat in the Assembly polls last year. The six MLCs who switched over to the Congress are: Dande Vithal, Bhanu Prasad Rao, M S Prabhakar, Boggarapu Dayanand, Yegge Mallesham and Baswaraju Saraiah, Congress sources said.

AICC in-charge of party affairs in Telangana Deepa Dasmunsi and other leaders were present when the BRS MLCs joined the Congress at the residence of CM Revanth Reddy, who is also the PCC president.

According to the Telangana Legislative Council website, BRS has 25 members and Congress four. There are four nominated MLCs, two members from AIMIM, one each from BJP, PRTU, and one independent, while two seats are vacant in the 40-member House.

The MLCs joined the Congress soon after Revanth Reddy returned from a two-day trip to the national capital Thursday night.

With the fresh defections, Congress' strength is set to go up to 10 in the Legislative Council. Six BRS MLAs joined the Congress after the Assembly polls last year and speculation is rife that more would switch sides to the ruling party in the days to come.

BRS had won 39 of the total 119 Assembly constituencies in the elections held last year, while Congress came to power winning 64 seats. However, BRS MLA from Secunderabad Cantonment G Lasya Nanditha died in a road accident earlier this year. Congress won the recently held by-poll for Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly segment. This led to an increase in its strength to 65.