In a significant political development in Telangana, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, the founder of Telangana Jagruthi and daughter of former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has declared her intention to form a new political party. The announcement comes after a bitter fallout with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), from which she was suspended.
A Vow to Return as a Political Force
Kavitha, who recently resigned as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), has vowed to make a comeback into the legislative bodies as a formidable "political force". She expressed her resolve during a speech in the legislative council, just before her resignation was formally accepted by Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy on Monday. Kavitha stated she was "happy after distancing herself from the party", marking a definitive break from the BRS, formerly known as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
The Suspension and Allegations of a "Big Joke"
The rift became public when Kavitha was suspended from the BRS on charges of anti-party activities. She claims this action was taken without any prior notice or opportunity for explanation. Dismissing the party's constitution as a "big joke", Kavitha clarified that her differences with the party and her family were not centred on "properties", as alleged by some Congress leaders, but were fundamentally a "self-respect" issue.
She became emotional while recounting her ordeal, alleging that she was jailed in connection with an alleged liquor scam due to a grudge held against her father, KCR. Kavitha claimed the BRS failed to support her during this crisis. However, she pointed out that when the Congress government constituted a one-man commission under Justice PC Ghose to summon KCR for questioning, she was the only one who fought back through her organisation, Jagruthi, while the BRS remained silent.
Criticism of BRS Governance and Corruption Charges
Launching a scathing attack on the BRS's tenure, Kavitha asserted that the party failed to live up to its core slogan of ‘Neelu Nidhulu Niayamakalu’ (water, funds, and recruitments). She held the BRS's failures responsible for the Congress's victory in the 2023 assembly elections.
Furthermore, Kavitha levelled serious allegations of corruption during the BRS regime. She cited specific projects, stating, "Corruption occurred in the construction of Amarajyothi, the secretariat, Ambedkar's statue, and collectorates. The collectorates built in Siddipet and Sircilla were submerged after a single rain." She also remarked that after Telangana's formation, several Andhra-based companies made it to the Forbes billionaire list, implying skewed development benefits.
Recalling her entry into politics, Kavitha revealed she initially wanted to run an international NGO. She was invited by the BRS (then TRS) and offered the Nizamabad Lok Sabha ticket, a decision she discussed with her husband for four months before accepting.
Kavitha concluded her address with a strong personal note, swearing on Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and her children that her fight was for self-respect. She termed the BRS a "party without morals", citing her suspension within two hours of mentioning senior leader Harish Rao's name during a press briefing on the Kaleshwaram project as an example. "I could legally challenge my suspension, but I won't challenge a party without morals," she asserted, signalling the start of a new and independent political journey in Telangana.
