Hyderabad, March 30 (IANS): Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi on Saturday joined the ruling Congress, and was welcomed by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and AICC in-charge for Telangana Deepa Dasmunshi

Vijayalaxmi is daughter of BRS general secretary and Rajya Sabha member K. Keshav Rao, who has also decided to join the Congress party.

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.

The BRS has lost several leaders including five sitting MPs and a MLA to either Congress or BJP.

In another big shock to the BRS, its leader and MLA Kadiyam Srihari along with his daughter Kadiyam Kavya, who opted out of contest as BRS candidate for Warangal Lok Sabha seat, have also decided to leave the party.

Deepa Dasmunshi and other leaders met them in Hyderabad on Friday and invited them to join the Congress party.

Srihari, former deputy chief minister of Telangana, said he would discuss with his followers and take a decision.

Srihari was elected to the Assembly from Station Ghanpur constituency in the recent Assembly elections.

The senior leader said that for various reasons the party is losing ground. "For various reasons people are moving away from BRS. To serve the people and do something for the constituency, we have to take a call," he said.