Setback to BRS as its Nagarkurnool MP Ramulu joins BJP

Hyderabad/New Delhi, Feb 29 (IANS) In a setback to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Nagarkurnool MP Pothuganti Ramulu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday. Ramulu, also a former minister, joined the BJP along with his son and BRS youth leader Bharat Prasad and other leaders at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.BJP parliamentary board member K. Laxman, national secretary Tarun Chugh, and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar welcomed them into the party.BJP national Vice president D. K. Aruna, Tamil Nadu co-incharge K. Sudhakar Reddy and BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam were also present.Ramulu has not been on good terms with BRS Nagarkurnool district president Guvvala Balaraju and other leaders.The 71-year-old was keen to get a ticket for his son this time. After the Congress came to power in telangana, he was reportedly in touch with Congress leaders and was planning to switch loyalties. However, after Congress leader and former MP Mallu Ravi staked claim for Nagarkurnool ticket, Ramulu started looking towards THE BJP and finally joined the saffron party.Ramulu had resigned as a government teacher in 1994 to join