Takeaways from KCR’s first rally in almost 2 years: Invoking Lord Ram to calling for dialogue with Naxals

While KCR’s public appearance is being seen by many as his “political comeback”, BRS working president K T Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, refused to label it as such. “When was he ever absent that it is being labelled a comeback? He was just giving the Congress government time; one-and-a-half years is a long time. KCR lives, eats, sleeps politics,” he told The Indian Express.

The BRS supremo said in his speech that he would be more involved in party activities, giving rise to speculation that he may take a backseat from electoral politics. However, KTR dismissed it, saying, “Did you see the thunderous applause when KCR said we will return to power in 2028? He has been our leader and guiding light and will continue to do so. He will be the CM in 2028. There is no doubt about it.

Asked if more such public meetings are in the offing, KTR said, “Definitely, we have entered our 25th year and need to make a roadmap for the next 25. If an issue calls for KCR’s attention, he will be out with the people.”

The takeaways from KCR’s almost 50-minute address:

Message to Hindus

KCR said he was inspired by Lord Ram’s words, “Janani Janmabhoomischa Swargadapi Gariyasi (Mother and motherland are more important than even heaven)”, to start the Telangana movement.

A senior BRS leader from Hyderabad said it was an “unfortunate reality” that religion is used as a tool in politics nowadays. “We cannot deny that votes are being sought based on religion. We will not stoop to that level. KCR has previously stated that he is a Hindu, but at home. As a party principle, we do not use religion and respect all,” the leader said.

With the BJP making inroads into Telangana, seen mostly riding on the BRS vote base, and pushing its Hindutva agenda revolving around Lord Ram, KCR’s reference to the Hindu deity is being seen as an attempt to connect to the Hindu vote base that seemingly rallied behind the BJP in the the 2023 Assembly polls as well as last year’s Lok Sabha elections.

Farmer outreach

The BRS supremo dedicated a majority of his address to the concerns of farmers. “All governments in history have collected taxes from farmers, but the only government that has given subsidies to farmers is the BRS government,” he said.

Targeting the Congress government for not fulfilling its promise of increased aid under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme, KCR said, “The duplicate Gandhis had come from Delhi and promised Rs 15,000 under the Rythu Bandhu scheme. What happened to that promise?” he asked.

KCR’s message to farmers, ahead of the pending local body polls in the state, stems from the BRS’s poor performance in rural constituencies in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Of the 80 Assembly seats in the 117-member House that are classified as rural, the BRS won only 19 in 2023, down from the 62 five years earlier. In the Lok Sabha polls, the party failed to win even a single one of the state’s 17 parliamentary constituencies.

“KCR’s address will only reinvigorate our cadre in rural areas. The party will put up a stellar show in the upcoming local body elections, and this is the start to that,” said a BRS leader from Mahabubnagar.

Naxal issue

In a reference to the Centre’s “Operation Kagar”, aimed to wipe out Naxals along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, KCR said, “You (Centre) may have the military and might but going on a killing spree against Naxals cannot be done in a democracy. The Centre should hold talks with Naxals,” he said, alleging that tribal youths were losing lives in the operation.

KCR’s reference to the Naxals and tribal youth, at a time when the Congress has alleged that the BRS and BJP are hand-in-glove, is being seen as his bid to target the BJP for its “undemocratic” measures and also reconnect with tribals who make up around 10% of the state’s population. The tribal population is found mostly in districts such as Adilabad and Komaram Bheem Asifabad in North Telangana. Six of the BJP’s eight Assembly seats came from the region.