How Revanth, Allu Arjun row has given a new lease of life to ‘down and out’ BRS

The issue has since taken a political turn with Telangana’s Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his ministers repeatedly questioning the actor over the stampede tragedy. The row has also seen both the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the BJP accusing the Congress government of “targeting” the actor.

The incident seems to have given a fresh lease of life to the BRS, which has been grappling with an existential crisis following the drubbing it got in 2023 Assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha polls. A senior BRS leader said, “We don’t seek political gains from tragedy and the law is equal for all but if the government’s words and actions play into our favour, it is not in our control.”

That the Sandhya theatre tragedy and its aftermath surrounding Arjun have come close on the heels of some other developments in Telangana, have aggravated the state government’s troubles.

After steering the Congress to power, Revanth Reddy has taken a host of decisions which have drawn the Opposition’s ire. These include the demolitions undertaken by Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) – where Reddy saw himself cornered over allegations of demolishing public housing but “sparing” his kin – or the Musi redevelopment project involving the “displacement” of around 16,000 families, or the Lagcherla farmers row over land acquisition.

BRS insiders claim that other matters also resonated among the people but the government’s consistent “targeting” of Arjun has now made them realise “their mistake of voting the Congress to power”. “Reddy’s decisions have been erratic to say the least. He has antagonised common people and is now doing the same with celebrities. At this rate, even the so-called traditional Congress voter will not vote for him,” a BRS leader said, claiming that this would be reflected in the upcoming local body polls in the state.

Another BRS insider said the party was “down and out” as its chief K Chandrashekar Rao or KCR, ex-Telangana CM, was “confined” to his guest house, especially after the Lok Sabha poll rout when the party failed to win any seat out of 17 in the state. The Arjun row has “re-energised” the BRS’s rank and file, he claimed. “There is a change in the demeanour of our leadership, which is trickling down through to the cadre. While some months ago, we had doubts over our political future, now we have a goal. Though the action plan has not been finalised, mandal and district-level party meetings are being held to infuse energy into our cadre and to chart a roadmap to corner the government,” he said.

On the other hand, Revanth’s woes seem to have been compounded by certain controversial remarks made by some of his ministers and MLAs. While Minister Dasari Anasuya Tuesday raised questions over Arjun’s national award, asking if a “smuggler can be a role model” in an apparent reference to the actor portraying the role of a red sandalwood smuggler in the film, Nizamabad Rural MLA R Bhoopathi Reddy said Arjun was a Andhra native staying in Telangana. “We will not allow your films to run in the state if you insult the CM,” Bhoopathi Reddy said, referring to Arjun as a “street actor”.

Another BRS leader from Mahabubnagar, Revanth’s home district, said following the controversy, it has become easier for party leaders to convince people that the government was targeting them. “As it is, people here were apprehensive about the government over the Lagcherla issue. Since the Arjun controversy has hit headlines, people are themselves coming to us. It was just what the BRS needed. This is the scene in areas where we fared poorly in the Assembly polls. Imagine what the condition would be in our strongholds like Karimnagar and Siddipet,” he said.

While sources close to the CM told The Indian Express recently that he was in no mood to back down on the Arjun issue and that his stance projected Revanth as a “pro-poor person”, sources within the Telangana Congress said backroom talks were continuing to ensure that the issue is resolved. “A prominent producer, who is a senior member of the Telangana Film Development Corporation, upon his return from the US, met Reddy and offered to mediate between the government and the injured child. He also said the victim’s husband would be given a job in the film industry and the medical expenses of the child would be borne by the government,” sources said.

The BRS has, however, maintained that the government was using Arjun to “divert attention” from the real issues. “If the government was serious about the injured child, why did Revanth have an hour-long discussion in the Assembly over the issue, which cost Rs 1 crore to the exchequer and not instead give the money for his treatment. He is just using Arjun as a punching bag to divert attention from serious issues like Lagcherla and the question over the government’s allegations against K T Rama Rao over Formula E fund disbursal,” senior BRS leader Dasoju Sravan told The Indian Express.

Asking why the CM was “putting off” the discussion in the Assembly over the allegations levelled against KTR in the Formula E race row, Sravan said the BRS was just being a “responsible Opposition”. “While Revanth refused KTR’s request for discussions saying the matter is sub-judice but isn’t the Arjun matter sub-judice as well? Instead of using Arjun as a punching bag, the government must sit down and formulate a policy to prevent such incidents in the future,” he said.

The Arjun row has now also crossed over to Andhra with the actor’s alleged “targeting” being allegedly linked to his perceived closeness to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.