KTR Sidelines Sister Kavitha For Key Appointment Amid Reports Of Rift

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has appointed former minister Koppula Eashwar as the party's in-charge for the Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS), the influential coal miners' union.

This move is widely seen as a decision to sideline his sister, MLC K Kavitha, who has served as the honorary president of the TBGKS and has been meeting recently with Singareni workers to bolster her political standing.

The announcement came after a meeting chaired by KTR at Telangana Bhavan, where leaders reportedly agreed to intensify the union's activities under Eashwar's leadership. Notably, this decision was presumably made without consulting Kavitha.

Koppula Eashwar, a founding member of the TBGKS, has a long-standing rapport with Singareni coal workers, having previously worked in the mines. Political observers are interpreting his elevation as a calculated move by KTR to assert his authority within the party and its affiliated organisations.

The decision has added fuel once again to speculation about an ongoing power struggle between KTR and Kavitha. Reports from the ground suggest that Eashwar's appointment was specifically timed to counter Kavitha's increasing efforts to control the union. Some TBGKS members are also said to be hesitant to associate with Kavitha, fearing they might be perceived as her loyalists amidst her reported fallout with KTR.

KTR has reportedly assured that the BRS will firmly stand with the TBGKS going forward. He has also directed TBGKS president Miryala Raji Reddy to coordinate with local BRS MLAs, former ministers, and party in-charges to mobilise coal workers across the state. A major gathering in the coal-belt region is expected to be convened soon under Eashwar's leadership.

Kavitha has announced a press conference this morning, presumably to react to KTR's announcement.