Telangana's Nagarkurnool Member of Parliament (MP) Pothuganti Ramulu, who was formerly associated with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The formal announcement and induction took place at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
Ramulu's decision to switch parties comes after expressing dissatisfaction with the senior leadership of the BRS for an extended period. He had distanced himself from party activities in the district, leading to speculation about his future political affiliations.
According to ANI reports, a total of 5 BRS leaders, including R Loknath Reddy, Pothuganti Bharath Prasad, Jakka Raghunandan Reddy, and Mentapally Purushotham Reddy, joined the BJP today.
The 71-year-old leader, hailing from Gunduru village in Kalwakurthy mandal, has a political history that dates back to 1994 when he entered politics after retiring from his position as a government teacher. Ramulu, a three-time MLA elected on a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket, represented the Achampet Assembly segment in the 1994, 1999, and 2009 elections. Notably, he served as the Minister of Sports and Youth Services in N. Chandrababu Naidu's Cabinet.
Following the formation of Telangana state, Ramulu parted ways with TDP and joined the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he secured victory from Nagarkurnool. His decision to join the BJP is reportedly influenced by expectations of a party ticket for either himself or his son, Bharat, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Sources suggest that internal disagreements with BRS district president Guvvala Balaraju and other leaders played a role in Ramulu's decision to exit the party. The seasoned politician's move to align with the BJP could reshape political dynamics in the Nagarkurnool constituency.