Analysis: Who Gains, Loses From K Kavitha's Suspension From BRS Amid Family Feud

The suspension of Kalvakuntla Kavitha from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is more than a disciplinary footnote - it is a political earthquake rocking the party. The BRS had been feeling the tremors for quite a while now. It started becoming apparent after its defeat in the 2023 Telangana assembly elections and came to the fore with the leak of a letter written by the daughter to the father and party chief, K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). The actual quake that shook the ground under the party came when Ms Kavitha named and pointed fingers at the top BRS leadership, all members of the extended family.

Now is the time for the political aftershocks - the time at which Ms Kavitha has delivered her explosive blow is critical as it comes at a time when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is all set to probe alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. The project has been spoken about by the BRS as the jewel in Telangana's crown. Going by the P.C.Ghose Commission of Inquiry, it seems both former chief minister KCR and former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao have some answering to do.

Ms Kavitha has given enough ammunition to the political opponents of the BRS. By naming Harish Rao, cousin and former BRS irrigation minister, and Santosh Kumar, another cousin who was formerly a Rajya Sabha MP, as those being with KCR, who allegedly used his name to amass wealth for themselves, she has torn the BRS of its official response and defense that the "indictment" in the P.C.Ghose Committee report is "politically motivated". She alleged that they had a "tacit understanding" with the new Congress government to "tarnish her father's image".

Ms Kavitha even claimed that Harish Rao was denied a second term as irrigation minister for the same reason. This suggests that the alleged wrongdoing happened right under the nose of KCR, who knew about it but yet chose to not act on it. Worse, it adds to the narrative built by both the Congress and the BJP that Kaleshwaram was the ATM for the BRS leaders. 

So, while the daughter says she is pained by her "nanna" (father) - whom she equated to God -  being wrongly blamed, the statements she made throw in the dock KCR as a leader and chief minister. And this time, people may tend to get more suspicious, or worse, believe this version, coming from someone who has seen it from close quarters. It certainly does not cover the BRS rule with glory and it is now up to the party to do damage control and change the narrative. The rupture is not merely in familial ties but in the power structure of the party.

The criticism against the BRS has long been that leadership is almost strictly maintained within the first family. Yet, if they delivered and met people's expectations, it would seem no one was complaining. But by firing a self-goal for the BRS, claiming that there was corruption under KCR's watch, Ms Kavitha has harmed the interests of the very "nanna" she claims to be speaking for. Ms Kavitha claimed she remained silent even though the duo attempted to sideline and humiliate her, suggesting a direct power struggle with her cousins, one of whom KCR relies on politically and the other who literally stays with him and has more direct access to him than anyone else. 

Everyone knew that Ms Kavitha's frequent outbursts would get her ousted from the party sooner rather than later. The critical juncture at which it has happened comes as a shot in the arm for both the Congress and the BJP. In fact, the BJP is already mocking the BRS, saying these are the challenges that dynastic parties face, the dynamics playing out between power struggle and family relations.

What does Ms Kavitha gain? The BRS is accusing her of playing into the hands of political opponents. But, joining hands with either the Congress or the BJP serves no political purpose for her. The only way forward is for her to slowly build her political base, if she wants a political future.

Ms Kavitha can start off with a huge advantage because as the KCR's daughter, she was a visible face of the party. She observed and participated in political activity for several years now and has experience and connections. She may be able to get on her side some sympathisers or those disillusioned with the BRS party. She is aware of how the political system works.

To her credit, Ms Kavitha has been working assiduously and systematically to build her political identity and expand her political base through Telangana Jagruti, district tours, having a vocal presence in local media and on national debates, and reaching out to different groups, including workers' unions. In fact, one of the first reasons for Ms Kavitha to rebel was her ouster in August last year from being honorary president of the Telangana Boggu Ghani Karmikula Sangam, a coal workers union with political clout, that too at a time when she was outside the country.

Ms Kavitha has tried to position herself as an advocate for politically significant causes, demanding reservation for women and backward classes. She once told NDTV that political parties are patriarchal and do not give women opportunity and that her own political party was no exception. 

But with state elections at least three years away, how will Ms Kavitha sustain herself politically? The aura of having been a visible and articulate face in Telangana, is unlikely to last for ever. 

Comparisons are being made to the feud that broke out between a brother and a sister in the neighbouring Telugu state. Sources close to Ms Kavitha said she would not go the Y.S. Sharmila way, referring to the dispute between the latter and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. For one, the dispute here is not over money or assets. It is a fight to assert a political right to lead, given that the father seems to have clearly spelt out his preference for the son as his political heir. As a top BRS leader put it: "KCR is the face, body and soul of the BRS. Whoever has his blessings will be the successor. Afterall, what is anyone in the party without KCR?"