KCR — the vanquished Telangana icon who missed a historic hat-trick

NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: Despite spearheading the distinct Telangana movement and achieving notable victories for his party since 2001, BRS leader faced disappointment as his party lagged behind in the legislative assembly polls, preventing him from securing a third term in office.

The electoral setback has the potential to hinder Rao's aspirations of extending the BRS's influence beyond Telangana and establishing a national presence.

Popularly known as KCR, Rao had rebranded his party, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), as the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) just last year.


He conducted extensive campaigns in neighboring Maharashtra to strengthen the presence of BRS in the region.

Symbol of Telangana pride

Moving from relative obscurity as a Congress supporter to emerging as a symbol of Telangana pride, KCR adeptly navigated the complexities of both state and central politics.

His prominence surged initially with the formation of Telangana in 2014, followed by consecutive triumphs in the 2014 and 2018 assembly polls.

Demonstrating his political acumen, Rao took an early initiative by announcing 115 candidates for the 119-member assembly in August of this year, well in advance of the November 30 polling date.

Nevertheless, this strategy appeared to backfire, as the party candidates found themselves contending with strong anti-incumbency sentiments.

Dynastic rule, nepotism

KCR frequently confronts allegations of perpetuating dynastic rule, nepotism, and corruption, accusations that appear to have struck a chord with the electorate.

The 69-year-old leader, originally from Chintamadaka village in Medak district, embarked on his political journey as a humble member of the Indian Youth Congress.

Rao became a member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), established by film icon N T Rama Rao, in 1983.

Although his initial electoral endeavor in the same year ended in defeat to the Congress candidate in Siddipet, he achieved victory in 1985 and continued to maintain a winning streak.

Rao secured victories in the Karimnagar, Medak, and Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha seats five times, which included two by-polls.

He assumed ministerial roles in both the NTR government and later in the government of his son-in-law, N Chandrababu Naidu.

Additionally, Rao served as the deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Nevertheless, the aspiration for a separate Telangana persisted.

In 2001, Rao parted ways with the TDP, citing Naidu's alleged bias against Telangana.

TRS is born

Subsequently, he founded the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, rekindling the statehood movement that had been dormant since the late 1960s.

Forming an alliance with the Congress and advocating for Telangana statehood, Rao contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls in partnership with them.

Winning five seats, he assumed the role of a cabinet minister at the Centre.

However, he eventually severed ties, alleging the Congress's lack of sincerity in fulfilling the promise of creating Telangana.

In the 2009 assembly elections, the TRS allied with the TDP after the latter promised "unconditional support" for the formation of Telangana.

Despite Congress and TDP dominating the political scene in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Rao's unwavering pursuit of Telangana bore fruit in the 2014 assembly elections, culminating in the establishment of the new state.

With the decline in popular support for the TDP, the TRS emerged as the dominant force in Telangana politics.

In the aftermath of the disappointing performance in the recent assembly polls, experts suggest that the BRS needs a revival to prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and brace for a protracted political battle against the Congress.