‘Mandate shows people’s faith’
Pramod Boro is one of the prominent politicians of Assam. He is the chief executive member (CEM) of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), an autonomous region in Assam.
In another jolt to BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, his close associate and BRS Rajya Sabha MP K Keshav Rao has rejoined the Congress, 11 years after he had left the national party at the peak of Telangana movement.
His decision to quit the BRS did not come as a surprise since his daughter and Hyderabad Mayor G Vijayalakshmi had already joined the Congress in March this year.
Rao was welcomed to the Congress by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi as well as Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in New Delhi.
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“Worthy homecoming… We are confident that his vast experience in public service will strengthen the Congress party in Telangana,” wrote Kharge on ‘X’ after the veteran leader joined the Congress formally.
Keshav Rao had served as the state Congress president of unified Andhra Pradesh when YS Rajasekhar Reddy was the chief minister. He joined the BRS in 2013 at the peak of Telangana movement, protesting against the High Command’s indecision over Telangana.
Even though he was in the BRS the Congress MLAs from Telangana had cast their second preference vote to Rao when he became a candidate for Rajya Sabha polls, held just before the bifurcation of the state.
Even in the BRS he had become a close confidante of KCR and was inducted in the Polit Bureau. His daughter was elected as mayor when BRS formed the board in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation with the help of AIMIM councillors.
Rao still has two more years of tenure in Rajya Sabha. If he quits the Congress is likely to renominate him. Apart from Rao six BRS MLAs have also joined the Congress and more are likely to follow suit in coming days.
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