City Mayor Vijayalaxmi joins Congress party

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi joined the ruling Congress, and was welcomed by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and AICC in-charge for Telangana Deepa Dasmunshi here on Saturday.

Vijayalaxmi is daughter of BRS general secretary and Rajya Sabha member K. Keshav Rao, will also join the Congress party soon.

Keshav Rao had called on Revanth Reddy, Dasmunshi and other leaders on Friday.

The Hyderabad mayor’s shifting of loyalty is expected to be a shot in the arm for Congress, which drew a blank in the Assembly elections in Greater Hyderabad region, which sends 24 MLAs.

In the previous elections held for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) held in 2020, the BRS had emerged as the largest party by winning 55 out of 150 wards. The BJP had emerged as the main opposition with 48 seats while AIMIM led by Asaduddin Owaisi had secured 44 wards. The Congress party could win only two wards.

Vijayalaxmi, who was elected as corporator from Banjara Hills ward, was elected first woman Mayor after the formation of Telangana state.

She defended her decision to join Congress, saying development works can be undertaken in a smooth manner if the Mayor is with the ruling party.

Keshava Rao, who was with Congress for 55 years, joined the BRS in 2013 and was twice nominated to Rajya Sabha. He conveyed his decision to return to Congress to BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

The move by Keshav Rao and his daughter came as the latest blow to the BRS, which lost power to Congress in the November 30, 2023 elections.