Ponguleti's Close Aide To Return To BRS?

Former Khammam MP and Congress leader Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy today suffered a major setback in his district.

Vellam Venkata Rao, a close aide of Ponguleti, who joined the Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi in Delhi last month, announced his decision to return to the BRS.

In a video message, Rao said that he was returning to the BRS because he did not like the Congress' ideology, and also did not want to betray the workers who had trusted him.

"I believe that the development of Bhadrachalam will take place under the leadership of CM KCR, and that is why I have taken this decision," he said.

He is likely to return to the BRS fold on Thursday.

Rao has been one of the the main followers of Ponguleti from the beginning. In the 2018 Assembly elections Rao contested on a BRS ticket and secured 36,000 votes. He joined the Congress with Ponguleti hoping for the Bhadrachalam ticket in the upcoming elections. However, he learnt that the Congress ticket was likely to be allotted to its sitting MLA from Bhadrachalam Podem Veeraiah. BRS leaders also reportedly held discussions with Rao to persuade him to switch back.

However, his supporters are spreading rumours that he would return to the BRS only if he was assured of the Bhadrachalam ticket.