Telangana: Is KCR skipping Assembly session to avoid Revanth onslaught?

Amid cheers and chants of “CM KCR” by fans, former Telangana chief minister and Bharata Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has vowed to fight against the handing over of the Krishna river projects to the Centre by the Congress government.

Addressing his first public meeting after his party’s defeat in the November elections, organised in connection with the ‘Chalo Nalgonda’ programme in Nalgonda town, KCR on Tuesday (February 13) spoke of injustice to Telangana under Congress rule.

Virulent speech

Giving the audience glimpses of his virulent speeches during the statehood movement, KCR, in a hard-hitting speech, warned that he won’t allow at any cost the denial of Krishna water to Telangana. He announced that the BRS would bounce back to power with “double speed”.

KCR loves meetings, whether it is a press conference, public meeting or the Assembly, where there is no resistance or interruption. He won’t tolerate any probing questions. Even in Nalgonda, irritated by some interruptions, he admonished his fans against disturbing his flow.

Any tough question or interruption would meet with a warning of ridicule or abuse. He ensures that he is singularly seen or heard. His gift of gab made him preeminent among the Telangana politicians and intolerant of resistance. His writ ran for nearly 23 years since the launch of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in 2001. There had been no opposition leader in Telangana who did not fall victim to his tongue-lash just because they opposed his policies.

In the past 10 years, only two Telangana leaders created a scare for KCR. One is BJP's former state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and the other is Congress chief A Revanth Reddy. Bandi, a BC leader, was removed from the scene when he was at his peak of performance. But Revanth, who comes from an influential Reddy community, proved a real match for KCR, an upper caste Velama leader.

KCR met his match in Revanth

Having realised the money, muscle and lung power of Revanth, KCR started attacking him with epithets like 'criminal', 'thief', 'childish' and 'useless'. This, however, brought more crudity from Revanth. People started watching Revanth’s courage to attack a leader like KCR curiously as if they had been waiting for the arrival of such a leader.

The result was the defeat of KCR in 2023. Revanth has become the chief minister and leader of the House. For KCR, now the leader of the Opposition, suddenly the Assembly has transformed into a hostile place where he should face a man whom he called a 'thief' as chief minister. And he cannot expect to harangue the house for hours.

Why's KCR avoiding Cong, skipping Assembly?

Is this the reason KCR prefers public meetings over the Assembly?

“Krishna water is vital to Telangana society. Five districts depend on the waters of the Krishna river. Why did the great man hide in the farmhouse while the Assembly was debating the crucial issue? To do this is to insult the people of Telangana,” the chief minister said in the House and asked KCR to participate in the debate.

According to Professor K Nageswar, it is part of KCR’s strategy not to be targeted by the Congress.

“Abstaining from Assembly is not a crime. There are MLAs to represent the BRS in the debate. KCR is skipping the House as a strategy because he wants to avoid being targeted by Congress on many issues. The Congress on the other hand wants KCR to be present in the House so that it can attack,” he said, adding that KCR is not supposed to skip the house just because he doesn’t like Revanth as chief minister.

However, KCR chose to skip the House at the time of the Governor’s address and the presentation of the budget. This has become a topic of debate among the political circles.

BRS murmurs

KCR's act even embarrassed BRS leaders. Many party leaders are not convinced by the assertion of KT Rama Rao, MLA and son of KCR, that KCR would certainly attend the House.

“It is good that KCR has tried to enthuse the cadre by spewing venom on Congress in the Nalgonda meeting. He rightly warned the government that he would fight for water rights if the Congress government tried to harm the state. In a similar vein, KCR should not hesitate to warn the government from the Assembly as well,” said a BRS leader from Nalgonda on the condition of anonymity.

"KCR may have had a bitter sense of rejection because he was defeated by a party which he thought was long dead. This might have changed his priorities and forced him to give precedence to public meetings over Assembly,” said analyst Gangavarapu Anjaneyulu.

Another commentator, Nandiraju Radhakrishna, opined that KCR might have been unnerved by the sudden change in the regime and the consequences.

Tiger or cat?

“Those who have observed KCR closely would easily understand the logic behind his decision to abstain from the House. KCR has commandeered the party and politics of the state for 20 years. He always wants the people to listen to him and not vice versa. The change in his position from chief minister to leader of the Opposition forces him to listen to whatever the government has to say. This could be the reason for avoiding the house,” Radhakrishna said.

But the Congress is watching the drama with glee as the party has successfully driven KCR out of the Assembly.

“KCR is frightened to face debate on irrigation in the Houses as it is bound to expose the ugly side of his decisions. He is not a tiger, he is a cat," Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said.