A year after losing power to the Congress in Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is looking to bounce back not just by stepping up the pressure on the government over its alleged unkept promises but by focusing on the Telangana identity.
While the BRS has been taking up protest programmes on the perceived 'anti-people' measures of the government and unfulfilled guarantees of the Congress, the recent row over the 'Telangana Talli' (Mother Telangana) statue has given it the handle to build a narrative around the state's cultural identity.
The modified design of Telangana Talli unveiled by the Revanth Reddy-led government in the State Secretariat has given an opportunity to the main Opposition to attack the ruling party by reigniting the Telangana sentiment.
For the last one year, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy took many steps to not only reverse the decisions of the previous government but also tried to erase BRS President and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's footprints from the Telangana movement.
In an attempt to have his own mark, Revanth Reddy changed the state's abbreviation from 'TS' to 'TG' and adopted 'Jaya Jaya He Telangana' as the state's official song.
The Congress leader never liked Telangana Talli designed by TRS (now BRS) and he had even remarked that it resembled K. Kavitha, the daughter of K. Chandrasekhar Rao ( also known as KCR).
Immediately after assuming office as the Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy announced that 'Telangana Talli' will be re-designed.
When Revanth Reddy installed a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in front of the State Secretariat in May, BRS slammed him saying the land was earmarked for installing 'Telangana Talli'.
BRS leaders argued that Rajiv Gandhi has no specific relevance to Telangana while the statue of Telangana Talli symbolises the state's cultural identity.
Hitting back at BRS for not installing Telangana Talli during its 10-year rule, the Chief Minister announced that he would install it in the Secretariat premises. Acting swiftly, he laid the foundation stone for it and unveiled it on December 9.
The day was chosen for its historical significance. It was on this day in 2009 that the then Congress-led UPA government at the Centre announced that the process of formation of Telangana would be initiated. It also coincided with the birthday of top Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
Revanth Reddy claimed it was the first officially declared design of Telangana Talli and it reflects the true culture and traditions of Telangana. The government also issued a notification approving the Telangana Talli statue and its features.
According to the notification, Telangana Talli stands on a pedestal of closed fists indicating the spirited fight for a separate state, and palms held upwards supporting the pedestal. The left-hand holds four traditional crops cultivated in Telangana, which include maize, foxtail millet, paddy and pearl millet while the right hand gives assurance of prosperity.
While the earlier design portrayed Telangana Talli as a goddess, the modified one signifies a common Telangana woman. In the altered design, there is no crown on the head while the gold worn by her is also minimal.
What angered BRS was the omission of Bathukamma. In the earlier design, the mother was shown carrying 'Bathukamma' (specially arranged flowers) in her left hand and plants in her right hand but in the modified version, the mother is seen carrying plants in her left hand and showing 'Abhaya Mudra' with right hand.
As the hand is the election symbol of Congress, BRS leaders were quick to call it 'Congress mother'.
K. Kavitha, who was in political hibernation since her release on bail in the Delhi excise policy case, saw an opportunity to return to the limelight.
KCR's daughter, who played a key role in asserting Telangana's unique cultural identity during the Telangana movement by playing 'Bathukamma', was quick to cash in on the sentiment.
She participated in sanctifying the Telangana Talli statue with 'panchamritha' at BRS headquarters Telangana Bhavan as a mark of protest for changing the model of Telangana Talli. She ridiculed the government's logic of showing Telangana Talli as a poor mother.
She called the omission of Bathukamma in the modified Telangana Talli an insult to Telangana identity.
Considered a symbol of Telangana culture, Bathukamma is celebrated by women in Telangana for nine days by singing and dancing around specially arranged flowers. At the end of the festival, they immerse the specially arranged flowers called Bathukamma in local ponds.
After forming the first government in Telangana, BRS declared Bathukamma as the state festival.
The Member of Telangana Legislative Council, who heads the cultural wing of BRS called Telangana Jagruthi, also organised a roundtable by inviting the intellectual community, poets, writers and other communities to resolve to protect Telangana culture.
K. Kavitha accused the Congress government of threatening Telangana's heritage by attempting to alter the Telangana Talli statue. She declared that the original Telangana Talli statue will reach every village, every notebook, and every calendar so that future generations continue to honour the legacy.
Under KCR's leadership, BRS not only revived the Telangana movement but achieved a separate state and ruled it for 10 years. It always projected itself as the sole champion of the Telangana cause.
After the crushing defeat in Assembly elections in November last year, the BRS suffered humiliation in this year's Parliament elections as it drew a blank.
Having lost ground to two national parties, the BRS, despite the change of name seems to be going back to its roots.
