KCR to address big meet in Nanded on Feb 5, may rope in top Cong netas

Hyderabad: The BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao will address a big public meeting in Nanded (Maharashtra) on February 5 and is likely to meet some Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, as there is speculation that he may take a call to join BRS along with few Congress and BJP leaders.

According to sources, after success of the Khammam meeting of the party, KCR is focusing on other States, including Maharashtra, AP, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Delhi. As part of this plan, he will be holding a big public meeting on February 5 at Nanded.

Party leaders said already several leaders of the party led by TSIIC chairman Gyadari Balamallu, Jogu Ramanna have visited the neighbouring districts of Telangana and held meetings with various organisations, including caste-based. A senior leader said the party MLAs had already left for Nanded and were busy in making arrangements for the meeting."Efforts are on to gather crowd from Telangana districts.

The leaders said the CM is likely to hold meetings with some Congress and BJP leaders in Nanded. He is likely to persuade Chavan to join the party. It is learnt that Chavan was unhappy with the Congress party and was looking at alternatives. Speculations are doing rounds that he may like to join the party soon. Sources also said the BRS leaders had talks with Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghathan chief Ravi Shetti asking him to join the party. However, he has not given any commitment but assured to support the party.

Meanwhile, former Odisha Chief Minister and BJP leader Giridhar Gamang has resigned from the party on Wednesday. Party leaders said he would be joining BRS on January 27.

When asked about BRS future plans, State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar said the party's next meeting would be held on February 5 in Nanded. The party would take a call on future meetings after having internal discussions.