Hyderabad: BRS Leaders Express Disappointment Over Pocharam Srinivas Reddy’s Defection to Congress
Hyderabad: BRS leaders have expressed their disappointment over former Assembly Speaker and Banswada MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy’s decision to leave the BRS and join the Congress. They are puzzled by the sudden switch and question what could have influenced his decision.
Addressing the media at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, BRS MLA G Jagadish Reddy highlighted that Pocharam had spent the entire day of the Lok Sabha election results with BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). He recalled Pocharam reassuring KCR that the election results were not a cause for concern and that the party would regain power in the state. “We are uncertain about his reasons or what attracted him to join Congress so suddenly,” he stated.
Jagadish Reddy questioned what more the party could have done for Pocharam, suggesting that his decision might not benefit him and would likely lead to ill-will among the people.
Former Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy reminisced about the efforts BRS (then TRS) leaders put into getting Pocharam elected in the 2012 by-elections after his resignation from TDP. He mentioned that Pocharam was appointed as the first Agriculture Minister of Telangana after his 2014 election and was made the Speaker in 2019. “All his requests were promptly granted. KCR sanctioned more 2BHK houses for Banswada than his own constituency. Even in the recent assembly elections, despite health concerns, he was given another opportunity,” Niranjan Reddy emphasized.
He also noted how KCR frequently referred to Pocharam as the “Lakshmi Putrudu” (son of goddess Lakshmi) in public and party meetings and appointed his son as the DCCB chairman. “We are uncertain about the moral justification Pocharam Srinivas Reddy has for his actions. KCR held him in the highest regard and provided numerous opportunities. It is unfortunate to see him leaving the party amidst its challenges,” he remarked.
