Former BRS Aroori Ramesh Defectors Suffer Reverses in Panchayat Polls After Joining BJP
Meanwhile, the BRS seized upon the outcome, claiming rural voters had rejected BJP’s new entrants. Analysts cautioned that unless the BJP leadership reviews the results seriously, the party could face further challenges in upcoming MPTC, ZPTC and municipal elections.
Warangal: Former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders who joined the BJP suffered a major setback in the recent Gram Panchayat elections in Warangal and Karimnagar districts, raising questions over their grassroots strength and internal cohesion within the party.
In Wardhannapet constituency of Warangal district, BJP-backed candidates won only four Sarpanch posts out of 83 Gram Panchayats. The poor performance has come as a blow to Aroori Ramesh, a two-time former BRS MLA who joined the BJP after the 2023 Assembly elections.
Political observers said Ramesh failed to carry his BRS cadre with him after switching parties and has remained largely inactive on the ground following his recent electoral defeats. His inability to coordinate with long-standing BJP workers further weakened the party’s prospects in the rural polls.
In Huzurabad constituency of Karimnagar district, the elections exposed sharp internal divisions within the BJP, particularly between supporters of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar and former minister Etala Rajendar. In several villages, rival groups fielded separate candidates, leading to confusion among cadres and splitting of votes.
Instead of consolidating support, internal rivalry hurt the party’s performance at the village level, party sources admitted. The lack of coordination and leadership unity proved costly in elections fought largely on local issues and caste equations rather than party symbols.
The results have drawn criticism from within the BJP, with senior workers expressing resentment over the leadership of recent entrants from the BRS. Political analysts noted that the assumption that defecting leaders would bring their entire support base with them has not held true.
Meanwhile, the BRS seized upon the outcome, claiming rural voters had rejected BJP’s new entrants. Analysts cautioned that unless the BJP leadership reviews the results seriously, the party could face further challenges in upcoming MPTC, ZPTC and municipal elections.
