Hyderabad, Mar 20 (IANS): Ahead of by-election to Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly constituency, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader N. Sri Ganesh, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent polls, joined the Congress party.

Ganesh switched loyalties a few hours after taking part in the campaigning for BJP candidate for Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency Eatala Rajender.

The by-election to Secunderabad Cantonment, one of the Assembly segments of Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, is scheduled to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls on May 13.

The vacancy arose after sitting MLA G. Lasya Nanditha of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA G. Lasya Nanditha died in a road accident on February 23.

The 37-year-old was elected in the elections held on November 30, 2023. She is the daughter of BRS leader five-time MLA from Secunderabad constituency, G. Sayanna, who passed away on February 19 last year due to illness.

Nanditha had defeated her nearest rival Sri Ganesh of BJP by a margin of 17,169 votes.

Sri Ganesh, who was likely to be fielded once again by the BJP, surprised everyone with his decision to move the Congress party. The ruling party is likely to field Sri Ganesh in the by-election.

While BRS is likely to field Nivedita, sister of Nanditha, in the by-election and bank on sympathy factor to retain the seat, with the joining of Sri Ganesh, the Congress party has got a strong candidate.

The by-election is crucial for the Congress party which has a slender majority in the state Assembly and it will be looking to make inroads into Hyderabad as it drew a blank in the state capital in the Assembly polls.

The Congress party had won 64 seats in the 119-member Assembly in 2023 polls.

The by-election is also important for Congress as Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was elected from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat in 2019.