Rahul Gandhi declares no alliance with BRS in Telangana, citing association with BJP

New Delhi: In a strategy meeting held at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, former Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi announced that the party would not form any alliance with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana, citing its close association with the BJP.

The meeting, called by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, aimed to discuss the party's strategy for the upcoming state polls in Telangana.

During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi emphasized the party's decision to distance itself from the BRS, stating that it would not be conceivable for Congress to form an alliance with a party that works closely with the BJP. Highlighting the collaboration between the BRS and the BJP in the state, Rahul Gandhi asserted that Congress would approach the Assembly elections with a focus on exposing this alliance.

Earlier this year, the Congress had declined to participate in a round table meeting organized by BRS leader K Kavitha in the national capital, which aimed to discuss the Women's Reservation Bill. While the BRS has been absent from several meetings of the Union government in the past year and a half, it recently attended an all-party meeting concerning Manipur, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 24.

Meanwhile, Telangana state minister KT Rama Rao, the son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, embarked on a two-day visit to the national capital, where he met Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and other ministers. This move has drawn attention, considering the ongoing political dynamics in the state.

Coinciding with the Congress strategy meeting, over 35 BRS leaders, including former minister Jupally Krishna Rao and former Member of Parliament Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, joined the Congress after holding discussions with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Following these developments, Rahul Gandhi is now scheduled to address a public meeting in Khammam on July 2, marking a significant step in the party's campaign in Telangana.