It has been exactly a year since the people of Telangana voted the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), out of power in the assembly elections held on November 30.
Over the past year, the BRS has been making concerted efforts to regain its lost ground in the state. Despite having four years until the next assembly elections, BRS leaders are displaying a sense of urgency to return to power.
KCR, mostly confined to his farmhouse, has reportedly reassured party leaders who visit him, stating that there is no need for concern as the public has realized their mistake of voting against the BRS and now wants him back as chief minister.
KCR has expressed confidence that the Congress government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, will not last long and that the BRS will return to power soon.
His son, K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), the party’s working president, has declared that public dissent against Revanth is growing and that the BRS will soon regain power and govern the state for another 15 years.
KTR and his cousin, T. Harish Rao, have been aggressively criticizing the Congress government, organizing programs to keep the party visible and active among the public.
They are working to build anti-establishment sentiment by amplifying public grievances, such as police crackdowns on protests, the demolition of houses along the Musi riverbank, food poisoning incidents in welfare hostels and schools, farmer agitations over delayed Rythu Bandhu payments, and suicides by weavers and debt-ridden farmers.
Analysts note that while the BRS has succeeded in generating some negative sentiment against the Congress government by highlighting its failures, it has yet to convert this sentiment into support for itself.
The Congress government still has four years left, and the BRS cannot realistically expect to return to power immediately unless it aligns with the BJP and destabilizes the Congress internally.
The BRS seems to be focusing its attacks on Revanth Reddy personally, rather than the Congress party as a whole.
Their apparent strategy is to pressure the Congress leadership to replace Revanth, believing that alternative leaders like Uttam Kumar Reddy or Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka would be easier to handle, thus facilitating the BRS’s return to power.
However, removing Revanth Reddy is beyond the control of the Congress’s internal factions or the BRS, as he enjoys strong backing from the party high command. Revanth has also proven to be a formidable opponent.
While KTR has announced plans for a padayatra to rally public support, analysts believe it may not resonate with the people, as KTR lacks the mass appeal needed to counter Revanth’s influence.
Analysts suggest that the BRS’s best chance of countering Revanth Reddy lies in KCR returning to active politics and leading a state-wide movement.
However, KCR’s prolonged silence and limited public engagement risk diminishing his relevance. If he delays his return for another two years, the public may lose interest in his leadership and rhetoric.
Revanth Reddy has been vocal in challenging KCR to leave his farmhouse and engage directly with the people.
He declared that he would not allow KCR to regain his political footing, stating, “If KCR doesn’t come out, the BRS chapter is closed.”
The next year will be crucial for the BRS’s future.
KCR is expected to re-enter public life in January, and his actions will likely determine whether the party can revive its past glory or fade further into political obscurity.
