The joining of the leaders comes as a boost for the Congress ahead of the assembly polls in the southern state later this year

The Congress is looking to mount a stiff challenge to the K Chandrashekar Rao-led government and seeking to dislodge it from power

"We welcome several prominent leaders from Telangana in the Congress party. The political tide in Telangana is turning for the good and the people of the state want a Congress government at the helm for overall progress and prosperity," Kharge said on Twitter along with photographs of him welcoming several former BRS leaders into the Congress

"The entry of Former Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Former MLA Gurunatha Reddy, K R Nagaraju and other grassroots leaders into the Congress party, shall further strengthen our endeavour to provide true social welfare in the state," Kharge said

Meanwhile, the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal observe silence to pay tribute to former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy and former Kerala assembly speaker Vakkom Purushothaman during a meeting with leaders of Kerala Congress, at AICC Headquarters in New Delhi