Incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA Bodiga Shobha, who was earlier elected from Choppadandi constituency and now denied a ticket by the TRS, switched over to the BJP on Thursday in the presence of Telangana party chief Dr K Laxman.
The constituency, reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, was one of the few seats where the TRS had not announced its candidate when the Legislative Assembly was dissolved on September 6. On Wednesday, the TRS announced that Konke Ravi Shankar would contest from Choppadandi.
Shobha had expressed her displeasure earlier, when she threatened to contest as an independent if she was denied a ticket. She also said that she enjoyed the support of the people in her constituency.
Speaking to reporters after joining the BJP, she said, “What wrong did we do? Who did we trouble? Injustice has occurred to a Dalit woman in the state today. None of the people complained about me, but some leaders within the TRS itself have sabotaged my chances.”
"I worked hard for the TRS, but they cheated me. I have worked hard for the people and made a lot of sacrifices. I am sure that my constituents will send me back to the Assembly," she added.
Shobha is the third leader to have quit the TRS and joined hands with the opposition, and the second person to have joined the BJP.
Last month, actor-turned-politician P Babu Mohan joined the BJP in the presence of party's national president Amit Shah in New Delhi after he was denied a ticket by the TRS.
In 2014, Babu Mohan was elected on a TRS ticket from Andole constituency in Medak district. This time, the TRS announced journalist Kranti Kiran as its candidate from this constituency, and now Mohan is all set to contest on a BJP ticket.
Earlier, senior politician and former minister Konda Surekha joined the Congress along with her husband, MLC Konda Murali, in New Delhi after meeting with Rahul Gandhi. This comes days after the four-time MLA from Warangal East constituency was also denied a ticket, with the TRS deciding to field Warangal Mayor Nannapaneni Narender from the seat.
Shobha was embroiled in a major row earlier this year, when she, her husband and their security personnel assaulted a toll plaza employee for not letting them pass through for free when they were traveling to Hyderabad from Karimnagar.
The couple demanded free entry, but the employee purportedly asked them to wait for a few minutes. Infuriated with his attitude, the MLA got out of the car and started shouting at him. Her husband, Bodiga Gallanna, then slapped the employee.