Despite all efforts, political strategies and fool-proof planning to strenghten the BRS party agenda, KCR is getting ready to face a tough challenge from Modi in forthcoming 2024 elections. The main question remained unanswered yet, will KCR grown tough politically to face Modi? May be yes and may be no. Let’s wait and watch.
Although Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao is working tirelessly to unite the anti-Narendra Modi forces, there is doubt about his ability to maintain such a front, no matter what form it ultimately takes. When it comes to gaining the support of like-minded groups, expanding BRS may not be a difficult feat given KCR’s oratorical abilities in English, Hindi, and Urdu. He is the first leader from the south attempting to have an impact in north India in nearly 40 years. The first political figure who could enthral even citizens of north India was thespian NT Rama Rao, founder of the Telugu Desam Party and four-time chief minister of unified Andhra Pradesh. NTR spoke at various electoral events back then rallies in Haryana in support of Devi Lal during the Assembly elections of 1987.
KCR recently spoke at his first public event outside of TS at Nanded (Maharashtra) to support BRS. Giridhar Gamang, a former member of the Lok Sabha representing the Koraput (ST) district and former chief minister of Odisha, just joined BRS. Gamang attracted the attention of the country in 1999 by supporting the no-trust motion against the Vajpayee government, which called for a new general election.
In terms of history, Andhra Pradesh was created based on the linguistic policy of the 1930s, which was given its ultimate form in 1956. On 1 November 1956, the Telugu-speaking state of Andhra Pradesh was created by carving the state of Andhra out of the combined Madras state and the Telangana portion of the former Hyderabad State. The initial Telangana movement began in less than ten years and reached its zenith in 1969. The desire for a separate state for the Telangana region was evident during the 1971 General Election. But back then, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi flatly rejected the call for Telangana to become a separate state. The original T movement might be in limbo for nearly six decades, allowing succeeding governments to administer the state.
After having disagreements with his political mentor N. Chandrababu Naidu, KCR established the Telangana Rashtra Samiti in 2001 with the express purpose of achieving statehood for Telangana. KCR encountered political difficulties during the reign of Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy due to the latter’s attempts to weaken TRS by luring its MLAs to Congress. Following the dissolution of YSR in 2009, KCR had the chance to reestablish TRS. He stoked support for Telangana to the point where even national parties like the Congress and BJP had to show some leniency towards the demand for a separate Telangana. KCR achieved his goal of Telangana becoming a separate state despite having only two members of his party in Parliament, including himself. Later, KCR adopted a “anti-Andhra” stance as the new state’s chief executive to get support from people of his state and retained power in the 2018 elections in which TDP had truck with then principal opposition party Congress.
KCR will now contest his third straight election amid an anti-incumbency factor. Since then, the BJP has become powerful in Telangana State. The impact of Muslims in Andhra Pradesh during its united era was confined to a few localised areas. Since then, Muslims have grown to be a significant political force.
KCR enjoyed the respect of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first half of his administration (2014–18). Even though it won four Lok Sabha seats exactly four months later, the BJP only won one Assembly seat in 2018. Political ally MIM of BRS has since won Aurangabad’s second Lok Sabha seat (Maharashtra).
For its own survival, AMIM must tomorrow engage directly against BJP in TS. KCR might have a soft spot for the Congress party if it helps him achieve his broader objective of defeating Modi.
KCR needs to be accommodating to the Congress if he hopes to remain a force against Modi. It is difficult for KCR to unite the anti-Modi forces in Karnataka because both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) are engaged in political games. H. D. Kumara Swamy, a former chief minister of Karnataka who earlier co-ruled with the BJP as a coalition partner, and KCR get along well.
H. D. Deve Gowda and H. D. Kumara Swamy, who are a father and son team, are also close friends of TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu. Now that Naidu has a soft spot for the BJP, it is hard to predict who would team up with whom.
It will be interesting to observe how different political players behave both before and after elections. By this thin thread, KCR’s “anti-Modi front” hangs in the balance. #hydnews #hydkhabar #hydlive
