LS polls: BSP to contest Hyderabad and Nagarkurnool seats as part of its tie-up with BRS

Hyderabad: The BSP will contest the Hyderabad and Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha seats, out of the total 17 constituencies in Telangana, as part of its alliance with the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS.

A BRS release on Friday said Rao, also known as KCR, has allocated the two seats to the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The BRS and BSP on March 5 announced a pre-poll alliance in Telangana for the LS polls following talks between KCR and state BSP president R S Praveen Kumar.

KCR had then said there is an ideological similarity between the two parties on various issues as the previous BRS government headed by him had implemented Dalit Bandhu and other schemes for the welfare of Dalits and others.

Claiming that secularism is in danger in the country due to the BJP, Praveen Kumar had said his party has decided to work together with BRS to safeguard Telangana from the BJP and also "Congress, which is becoming like the BJP".

The BRS has protected secularism, he said.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on March 13 said BSP Rajya Sabha member Ramji Gautam, Praveen Kumar and other party leaders held a meeting with KCR at the latter's residence here.

The BRS has so far announced its candidates from 11 Lok Sabha seats.