BRS Accuses Telangana Congress Government of Running State-Funded Propaganda Network

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has launched serious accusations against the ruling Congress government in Telangana, claiming it operates a state-funded propaganda network directly from the Chief Minister’s Office to target opposition leaders with misinformation campaigns.

In a press conference held in Hyderabad, BRS social media team leader Manne Krishank presented what he described as evidence of an organized propaganda machine utilizing multiple WhatsApp groups and social media bot accounts to spread false information about BRS leadership, particularly former IT Minister KT Rama Rao.

At the center of these allegations is a WhatsApp group named “Telangana Rising Talk Communication,” allegedly managed by officials holding government positions and drawing salaries from the public exchequer. According to Krishank, a whistleblower who was previously involved in the Telangana statehood movement provided screenshots showing coordinated efforts to disseminate fabricated content related to the ongoing phone-tapping investigation.

“This group has over 138 members and functions as a misinformation hub,” Krishank stated, directly implicating Chief Minister’s Office Public Relations Officer Anvesh, Digital Media director Sriram Karri, and Congress social media convener Manne Satish in the operation.

BRS leader Dinesh Chowdhary pointed out a troubling pattern where narratives targeting BRS leaders appeared online through suspected bot networks before any formal updates from investigative agencies like the Special Investigation Team (SIT) or Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). This timing, he suggested, indicates coordination rather than coincidence.

“Digital footprints reveal clusters of social media accounts, many apparently automated or centrally managed, that amplify hostile narratives against opposition leaders,” Chowdhary explained. “The synchronization between these public posts and discussions in internal communication channels suggests orchestrated messaging rather than organic political discourse.”

The accusations extend beyond social media manipulation. BRS leaders Patimeedi Jaganmohan Rao and Vishnuvardhan Reddy claimed government infrastructure in key buildings including BRK Bhavan, T-SAT, and HACA Bhavan was being repurposed for political trolling and character assassination campaigns targeting opposition figures, including women leaders.

“Those meant to serve the state are being deployed to run a propaganda assembly line,” Vishnuvardhan Reddy asserted, adding that multiple complaints filed with police authorities, including the Director General of Police, over the past five months have yielded no action.

The opposition party alleged that the same network of accounts simultaneously promotes Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s statements and pro-Congress messaging, suggesting a coordinated strategy using public resources for partisan purposes.

These accusations come amid escalating political tensions in Telangana, where the Congress government, which came to power in December 2023 ending the BRS’s decade-long rule, has initiated several investigations into alleged irregularities during the previous administration.

The BRS leaders have demanded an immediate investigation into these allegations and called for the removal of officials implicated in running what they describe as a “propaganda assembly line.” Vishnuvardhan Reddy confirmed the party would pursue legal action against individuals involved in propagating false information about BRS leadership.

The Congress government has not yet responded to these specific allegations, which represent a significant escalation in the political rhetoric between Telangana’s ruling party and its primary opposition.

Political analysts note that such accusations of state machinery misuse for partisan purposes raise serious questions about the boundaries between government communication and political campaigning in an era where digital media increasingly shapes public perception.