Hyderabad: Former MLA Guvvala Balaraju, who recently quit the BRS, joined the BJP on Sunday.
A two-time former MLA from Achampet was welcomed into the BJP by the party’s state president Ramchander Rao at a programme held at the BJP office here.
Balaraju was one of the four BRS MLAs who figured in the horse-trading case in 2022. The then BRS government had accused the BJP of trying to poach its four MLAs by offering huge money ahead of the by-elections to the Mungode Assembly seat.
BJP national general secretary B. L. Santosh was also named as an accused in the MLA poaching case.
Balaraju resigned from BRS on August 2. In his letter to party president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, he stated that he decided with a “heavy heart” after serving the party for nearly two decades.
Balaraju was elected from Achampet, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes, in 2014 and 2018. He, however, suffered defeat in 2023 at the hands of Chikkudu Vamshi Krishna of the Congress party.
Welcoming Balaraju into the BJP, Ramchander Rao claimed that the BJP is emerging as the only viable alternative in Telangana and realising this, Balaraju joined the party. He said the former MLA was also attracted by the good work done by the Modi government at the Centre.
Ramchander Rao noted that Balaraju, like him, is a lawyer and got an opportunity to serve the people at a young age.
The state BJP chief pointed out that the party secured 13.09 per cent votes in the 2023 Assembly elections, and its vote share jumped to over 36 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He noted that the BJP doubled its Lok Sabha tally to eight while BRS drew a blank.
Ramchander Rao said the BJP’s victory in recent MLC elections indicates the party’s growing base in the state. Claiming that many leaders want to join the BJP, he said he was ready to welcome them.
Slamming Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his frequent visits to Delhi, the BJP leader advised him to stay in Hyderabad to know how people in the state are suffering due to waterlogging during rain.
BJP MP K. Laxman, MLC Anji Reddy and other leaders participated in the programme.
(IANS)
