The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has suspended its legislative council member, K. Kavitha, citing “anti-party activities.” The decision, made by party president and her father, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), follows months of escalating internal friction and comes after Kavitha publicly criticized senior party leaders, including her cousin T. Harish Rao and J. Santosh Kumar.
The Cause of the Conflict
The suspension of Kavitha stems from her recent public remarks regarding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme. The current Telangana government has initiated a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in the project, which was built during the BRS’s time in power.
In response, Kavitha publicly accused her cousins, Harish Rao (who was the Irrigation Minister) and J. Santosh Kumar, of being responsible for the corruption and for damaging her father’s image. She also alleged that they have a “tacit understanding” with the current Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, to tarnish KCR’s reputation.
This public outburst was the culmination of a long-standing rift. Kavitha had previously hinted at internal conspiracies and had been sidelined within the party, including being removed from her position as the president of a BRS-affiliated coal miners’ union. Her public statements were seen as a direct challenge to the party’s leadership and its handling of internal affairs.
Political Fallout and Party’s Response
The BRS’s decision to suspend Kavitha, a prominent party figure and KCR’s daughter, has sent shockwaves through Telangana politics. The move is widely seen as a sign that the party leadership, under KCR, is prioritizing party unity over family ties. BRS leaders have publicly supported the decision, stating that nobody is bigger than the party and that Kavitha’s actions were causing confusion among the party’s rank and file.
The suspension has provided ammunition to rival parties like the Congress and the BJP, who may use this internal conflict to their advantage to de-stabilize BRS. Kavitha has since resigned from both the BRS and her position as an MLC. The future of her political career and her relationship with her family and former party remain uncertain.
