The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is set to contest from Hyderabad and Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha seats in an alliance with former Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Overall, Telangana has 17 constituencies in the state. The BRS has allocated two Lok Sabha seats to BSP in Telangana. This development was confirmed in a press release issued by the BRS on Friday.
The alliance between the BRS and BSP was officially announced on March 5 in Telangana. The decision came after discussions between KCR and RS Praveen Kumar, the state president of BSP.
KCR highlighted the ideological alignment between the two parties citing previous initiatives like the implementation of the Dalit Bandhu scheme during his tenure.
Expressing concern over the perceived threat to secularism posed by the BJP, Praveen Kumar emphasized the need for joint efforts to safeguard Telangana's interests. He underscored the importance of countering not only the BJP but also the Congress, which he claimed was veering towards BJP-like ideologies.
Further strengthening the alliance, BSP Rajya Sabha member Ramji Gautam, along with Praveen Kumar and other party leaders, held discussions with KCR at his residence on March 13, as confirmed by the BRS.
With the BRS having already announced candidates for 11 Lok Sabha seats, this collaboration with the BSP marks a significant step in shaping the political landscape of Telangana ahead of the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, K Kavitha, daughter of KCR, opted out from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency. Reportedly, Kavitha, who represented the Nizamabad constituency as an MP from 2014 to 2019, is contemplating abstaining from the forthcoming elections. Notably, Kavitha suffered defeat in the 2019 elections against BJP's Dharampuri Arvind. Presently, she holds a position as a member of the Telangana Legislative Council.