Hyderabad: Senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, daughter of party chief and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), announced her resignation from the party and her position as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) on Wednesday. The move comes just a day after her suspension from the BRS for alleged “anti-party activities,” sparking intense speculation about deepening rifts within the party and the KCR family.
Kavitha’s exit marks a significant moment in Telangana’s political landscape, as she accused her cousins, T Harish Rao and J Santosh Kumar, of conspiring against the family and colluding with rival parties to undermine the BRS.
Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, the 47-year-old former MP expressed her pain over the suspension and urged her father to remain vigilant about those around him, alleging a deliberate plot to fracture the family’s political unity.
A Fallout Rooted In Controversy
Kavitha’s suspension, announced on Tuesday by BRS leaders T Ravinder Rao and Soma Bharat Kumar, followed her public accusations against Harish Rao and Santosh Kumar. She had claimed that the duo was responsible for tarnishing KCR’s reputation by amassing wealth through alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, which is now under a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe initiated by the Congress-led Telangana government. “When their houses are filled with gold, it doesn’t mean the whole of Telangana is shining,” Kavitha remarked sharply, intensifying her attack on her cousins.
Speaking to the media, Kavitha expressed bewilderment over her suspension, stating that her actions after being released from Tihar jail — where she was detained for nearly six months in 2024 in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case — were aimed at championing public causes. “I participated in several programmes, fighting for issues like BC reservations, all while wearing the BRS flag. How is this anti-party?” she questioned, flanked by her supporters at the Telangana Jagruthi headquarters.
Allegations Of Conspiracy And Betrayal
Kavitha’s most explosive claims centred on an alleged conspiracy involving Harish Rao and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. She accused them of plotting to “destroy” the KCR family during a shared flight to Delhi, a charge she demanded Reddy clarify. “Revanth Reddy has booked cases against my family — KCR and KTR — but spared Harish Rao. Why?” she asked, pointing out that Harish Rao, as the former Irrigation Minister, was closely associated with the Kaleshwaram project yet faced no scrutiny.
She also cautioned her brother, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao (KTR), against trusting Harish Rao and Santosh Kumar, calling them “not well-wishers” of either the family or Telangana’s people. “I spoke to KTR about the conspiracies against me, but he didn’t act,” she said, expressing disappointment over his silence during what she described as a “malicious campaign” targeting her.
A Plea To KCR And An Uncertain Future
In an emotional appeal, Kavitha urged her father to “keep an eye on those around him,” warning that the same forces that led to her suspension could target KCR and KTR next. “Opponents don’t want us to stay united,” she said, alleging that her ouster was part of a larger scheme to seize control of the BRS. She also refuted claims that Harish Rao had been a loyal party member from the start, asserting that he joined the BRS nearly a year after its formation and had a history of creating problems rather than solving them.
Kavitha further ruled out joining another political party, stating that she will consult her supporters and Telangana Jagruthi workers before deciding her next move. Her resignation letter, addressed to the Legislative Council Speaker and KCR, was submitted in the prescribed format, marking the end of her tenure as an MLC, which was set to expire next year.
A Party In Turmoil
Kavitha’s departure underscores growing tensions within the BRS, a party that has long been synonymous with the KCR family’s political dominance in Telangana. Her allegations of internal sabotage and external collusion have cast a shadow over the party’s unity, raising questions about its future as it navigates a challenging political landscape. As the dust settles, all eyes will be on KCR’s response and whether Kavitha’s warnings about “conspiracies” will prompt a deeper introspection within the BRS.