In Rangareddy, a group of BRS leaders and councillors from the Maheshwaram constituency have left the party and joined the Congress. This move has caused a stir, especially for local MLA P Sabita Indra Reddy. The leaders who switched sides are mainly from Jalpally and Tukkuguda municipalities.
The BRS leaders who joined the Congress include members from Jalpally such as Syed Yousuf Patel, Syed Mazhar, Saud Awalgi, Bashamma, Radhika Sharavan, and Pushpamma. Additionally, vice-chairman Bhavani Venkat Reddy and councillor Srikanth Goud from Tukkuguda, as well as ex-ZPTC Jillela Narender Reddy from Saroornagar, also made the move.
The defection of these leaders is seen as a setback for Sabita, who has always had strong support from Jalpally municipality. Despite the BRS losing in recent elections at the state level, Sabita managed to win consecutively from the Maheshwaram constituency.
There has been tension among minority BRS leaders regarding Sabita’s favoritism towards AIMIM leaders over her own party members in Jalpally. The municipality itself has a history of unlawful activities, with encroachments on government and Wakf land.
The Jalpally municipality, known for its high population density and illegal land activities, was established in 2016 by merging several areas. It has 28 wards with over 30,000 households, mainly comprising settlers from neighboring districts and northern states.
