HYDERABAD: The upcoming vice-presidential election has sparked keen interest in how the BRS will position itself, given its ideological opposition to both the Congress and BJP.
What decision BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao takes is being keenly awaited as the pink party weighs supporting either the NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan or INDIA bloc’s nominee Justice B Sudershan Reddy.
The fact that Justice Sudershan Reddy is a Telangana native and son of a farmer, who is a familiar figure in the state, places the BRS in a delicate situation. The party must decide whether to back a local candidate or abstain from voting altogether. This dilemma is compounded by the BRS’ past support for NDA-backed candidates, such as former president Ram Nath Kovind and vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu.
The BRS’s history of supporting opposition candidates adds further complexity.
In 2022, KCR supported Yashwant Sinha’s presidential candidature, proposed by national opposition parties, including the Congress. He welcomed Sinha to Hyderabad with a grand rally, signalling strong opposition to the NDA’s candidate, current President Droupadi Murmu.
Strategic challenge
Now, the BRS faces a strategic challenge. Supporting Justice Sudershan Reddy could lead to accusations from the BJP that the BRS is in league with the Congress, while not supporting him may invite criticism from the Congress that the BRS is colluding with the BJP.
Either choice risks damaging the party’s image and leadership credibility.
Adding to the conundrum, KCR previously invited Justice Sudershan Reddy to a Chandiyagam at his farmhouse during his tenure as chief minister. Whether this personal connection will translate into BRS support for Reddy’s candidature remains a topic of heated debate in Telangana’s political circles.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has urged the BRS supremo to back Justice Sudershan Reddy, emphasising his status as a source of Telugu pride and calling for all parties to unite in supporting his vice-presidential bid. This appeal has heightened curiosity about KCR’s next move and which side the BRS will ultimately be on in the vice-presidential election.