HYDERABAD: The simmering discontent in BRS MLC K Kavitha’s camp spilled out into the open after a purported six-page letter written by her to party president and father K Chandrasekhar Rao surfaced on Thursday.
The letter, dated May 2, has damning comments on her party’s and father’s style of functioning. It questioned his perceived ‘soft stance’ on the BJP, as well as the issue of ‘selective access’ to party leaders.
In the letter, Kavitha urged the BRS supremo to convene a two-day plenary session to listen to voices from the grassroots and re-energise the cadre. “Kindly reach out to everyone,” she advised KCR.
Despite the criticism, Kavitha began the letter — addressing the former chief minister informally as “Daddy” — by congratulating him on the success of the silver jubilee meeting held in Warangal on April 27.
Kavitha, who has been in the US, is scheduled to arrive in Hyderabad on Friday night. Although her letter was dated May 2, it was leaked only after 20 days. The timing of the leak has raised several eyebrows.
Kavitha’s letter assumes significance amid the alleged rift among three top leaders of the BRS. Former minister T Harish Rao held a three-hour-long meeting with KCR earlier on Thursday, ostensibly over the notices given by the Commission of Inquiry on Kaleshwaram.
Harish had also recently met BRS working president KT Rama Rao and announced he would work under the leadership of his cousin if the latter were made party president.
Kavitha: ‘You should have targeted BJP more, daddy’
Speculation is rife about her political future. Interestingly, Kavitha is the first senior BRS leader, after Eatala Rajender (now a BJP MP), to openly express dissent against KCR.
In her letter, Kavitha began with ‘positive feedback’ and said that the morale of the cadre was high. “The cadre stayed until the end and listened to your speech attentively. Many liked it when you talked about Operation Kagar. The way you said ‘Congress fail...fail’ was well received. The silence observed over Pahalgam was appreciated. Many liked that you did not take the name of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to criticise the Congress party, though he has been attacking you daily. The feedback is that you behaved in a dignified manner,” Kavitha wrote.
However, Kavitha also gave negative feedback and said the cadre expected KCR to send a strong message that ‘Telangana means BRS’ and ‘Telangana means KCR’. “The cadre also expected you to talk about changing the Telangana Talli idol and introducing the Telangana state song. Overall, the cadre expected more ‘punch’ in your speech.
Still, both cadre and leaders were satisfied with the meeting,” she noted. “Daddy, the warning issued to the police was also well received,” the BRS MLC added.
Kavitha pointed out several shortcomings of the meeting: KCR not speaking in Urdu, not addressing the Waqf Bill, ignoring the 42% reservations for BCs and not speaking on SC classification.
“All old incharges were made incharges again for the meeting. Feedback from some constituencies is that those incharges failed to provide facilities to Telangana agitators at the meeting. There was talk that all old incharges would receive B-forms in the local body elections. Those willing to contest as sarpanches in the forthcoming local body elections seemed ‘relaxed’. However, those aiming to contest as ZPTCs and MPTCs demanded that the state party give B-forms to them and not to the incharges,” the letter read.
“When you are on dais, leaders who have been associated with you since 2001 should be given an opportunity to speak. Many have opined this,” Kavitha told her father. “Dhoom-Dhaam failed to attract the cadre,” she added.
“As you spoke only two minutes about the BJP in the (Warangal) meeting, many felt that the BRS might forge an alliance and started speculating on the same,” Kavitha said. “I personally felt you should have spoken much more strongly against the BJP. Maybe because I have also suffered. You should have targeted BJP much more, daddy,” Kavitha said.
“It is heartwarming when several people want to shake hands with you and take photos with you. Several ZPTCs, ZP chairman, MLA-level leaders are feeling sad due to lack of access. They feel it is ‘selective access’. Kindly reach out to everyone,” Kavitha advised her father.
She observed that the faith in the Congress was lost at the grassroots level and added that the BRS cadre believes the BJP could become an alternative to the pink party in the state.
"The Congress spread the message very strongly that the BRS helped BJP by not fielding its candidate in MLC polls. In this backdrop, the cadre expected you to provide specific programmes or guidance to address this political scenario,” Kavitha noted.
“At least now, we can hold a plenary for one or two days. Hear as many opinions from cadre and give them guidelines. Think about this seriously. Sorry for the long letter,” Kavitha concluded.
Earlier this month, Kavitha said that though a “geographical Telangana” state was achieved, social justice (samajika Telangana) has not been delivered to the people. “During the BRS regime, Rs 10,000 per acre assistance was provided to farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme. If a farmer had 10 acres, he used to get Rs 1 lakh. But we failed to deliver justice to agriculture labourers who had no land,” she had noted on May 1.