K Keshava Rao, Mayor Vijayalakshmi meet Revanth Reddy ahead of joining Congress

HYDERABAD: In a jolt to the BRS, party secretary general and Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao has made his intentions clear of defecting to the ruling Congress.

On Friday, Keshava Rao, along with his daughter and Hyderabad Mayor Vijayalakshmi, met Chief Minister Revanth Reddy at his Jubilee Hills residence.

The move was unexpected as Keshava Rao, popularly known as KK, enjoyed the highest positions in the BRS.

KK was a two-term Rajya Sabha member and was given the post of party secretary general. His daughter meanwhile was nominated as the Hyderabad Mayor.

A day earlier, KK met BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) at his farm house in Erravelli. There were reports that KCR had expressed disappointment at KK's decision to defect to the Congress despite the BRS honouring him and his family with respect and key positions. However, KK allegedly told KCR that his career began in the Congress and that he would die in the Congress.

KK was part of the Congress till 2013 before shifting to the BRS. He was a Cabinet Minister in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, holding important portfolios like education, industry and labour. He was first nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2006 by the Congress. The BRS then nominated him to the Upper House in 2013 and again in 2020.

The meeting with Revanth Reddy on Friday was to iron out the formalities of joining the party likely on March 30.