Kavitha Breaks from BRS, Urges KCR to Address Assembly on Water Projects

Legislative Council member K. Kavitha has openly criticized the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership, stating that party founder and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao should personally address the ongoing Assembly session to counter allegations regarding water projects in Telangana.

During a press conference at the Legislative Council on Friday, Kavitha expressed concerns that the current BRS representatives in the Assembly lack the competence to effectively rebut claims made against the party’s handling of key irrigation initiatives, particularly the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS).

“It would be appropriate for KCR himself to come to the Assembly and explain why the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme’s source point was changed,” Kavitha said, suggesting that her father’s direct involvement is necessary to clarify the party’s position.

In a surprising attack on fellow party member T. Harish Rao, Kavitha questioned his appointment as Deputy Floor Leader, suggesting that such leadership decisions put the party’s future at risk. She implied potential collusion between Harish Rao and current Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, referencing their “past friendly interactions” in Assembly chambers.

“Allowing him to speak on water issues would be detrimental to the BRS,” Kavitha stated, suggesting that Harish Rao’s involvement in debates about the Palamuru project could appear “pre-arranged” and ultimately damage the party’s credibility on irrigation matters.

The comments highlight growing internal tensions within the BRS, which has been Telangana’s dominant political force since the state’s formation in 2014 but has recently faced setbacks, including losing power to Congress in the last Assembly elections.

Kavitha also criticized Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for what she described as disrespectful language toward her father, who led the movement for Telangana’s statehood. “As a daughter, my blood boiled when such language was used against my father,” she said, accusing Reddy of “committing a grave injustice to the Palamuru region” and disrespecting leaders of the Telangana movement.

In a significant announcement that could reshape Telangana’s political landscape, Kavitha confirmed her intention to launch an independent political party and contest the next Assembly elections, stating definitively that she would not return to the BRS.

“The state needs a new Telangana political party,” she declared, noting that she had already been operating independently through her Telangana Jagruthi organization. Kavitha revealed that she had submitted her resignation from the MLC position on September 3 last year, but it has not been processed for the past four months.

With the Council now in session, she plans to request permission from Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy to address the chamber and explain her resignation before it is formally accepted.

The development comes at a critical time for Telangana politics, as water resource management remains a contentious issue in the semi-arid state. The PRLIS project, designed to irrigate drought-prone areas in Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda districts, has been a focal point of political debate, with allegations of design changes and implementation delays being traded between the current Congress government and the previous BRS administration.

Kavitha’s planned political venture could potentially split the BRS vote base in future elections while adding another regional party to Telangana’s political spectrum, which has been primarily dominated by the BRS, Congress, and BJP since the state’s formation.