Former Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) member and Rajya Sabha MP K Keshav Rao joined the Congress party on Wednesday, July 3. Keshav Rao joined the Congress in the presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. 

Keshava Rao was a part of the Congress party until 2013 when he quit and joined the BRS, then the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Kharge dubbed the return of the leader “worthy homecoming” adding that “Rao’s vast experience in public service will strengthen the Congress.”

In May 2013, Keshava Rao had quit the Congress party stating that the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by the Congress had not yet created the state of Telangana. 

The Rajya Sabha MP visited Kharge in Delhi last week following which he joined the party. He has served two consecutive terms (2014 and 2020) as a Rajya Sabha MP since the formation of Telangana. However, his son and former Chairman of the Telangana State Urban Finance Infrastructure Development Corporation K Viplav Kumar told local media that he would remain with the BRS.

Several BRS leaders quit the party and joined the ruling Congress party in Telangana in the last two months. Along with Jagtial MLA Sanjay Kumar, Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, MP Ranjith Reddy, MLA Danam Nagender, BRS MLA Kadiyam Srihari and his daughter, incumbent Warangal MP Kadiyam Kavya joined the Congress.