K Kavitha's quiet removal from key BRS post triggers internal backlash, exposes growing family feud

BRS MLC K Kavitha's removal as the honorary president of the Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) has once again exposed the deep cracks within the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

While she was away in US on a personal visit, the party quietly replaced her with former minister and loyalist Koppula Eashwar.

A one-line statement from the BRS said Eashwar was “unanimously elected” at a meeting held at Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters.

The move seemed well-planned, but the consequences were immediate.

In Godavarikhani, Sangham treasurer Venkat and others announced their resignations, calling Eashwar’s appointment without an election “illegal.”

They promised to protest as soon as Kavitha returned from her trip.

Venkat reminded workers that Kavitha was the one who had helped secure thousands of jobs in the Singareni coal mines. “She was the one who ensured 19,463 new appointments,” he said, vowing to fight against what he saw as a political manoeuvre.

Internal conflicts

For years, TBGKS has been viewed as a tool for the BRS to exert its influence in the coal area, particularly as local elections are approaching.

Party members believe removing Kavitha was a way to protect their power while reducing her influence.

Notably, her brother and party leader, KT Rama Rao, who has had disagreements with her, did not attend the meeting that decided her removal.

This situation didn't happen overnight. Kavitha has been publicly clashing with party leaders recently, especially after a letter she wrote to their father and party head, K Chandrashekar Rao, was leaked to the press.

Although she met him twice afterwards — once when he faced the Commission of Inquiry on the KLIS project and again, with her husband and son, to seek blessings before her younger son went to study in the US — these meetings did not change the perception that she had been sidelined in the party.

Family war

BRS insiders say the real competition is over who will succeed KCR.

Usually, power struggles start after a leader leaves, but in BRS, this has begun while KCR is still in charge.

Family members within the party have taken sides: one group supports KTR, and the other backs Kavitha.

In May, when people approached Kavitha to discuss her position, she asked for the role of working president or a similar title if KTR moved up in the party. Many saw this as a clear sign of a deeper fight for power within the family and the party.

Sources say KCR has told leaders not to speak publicly about Kavitha's role, which only increases the speculation about the divide. However, actions have made the situation clearer: excluding her from TBGKS was not just an organisational change; it was a political signal.

Kavitha hits back

Kavitha spoke out against her removal. From the US, she sent a two-page letter to the workers of Singareni. She congratulated Eashwar on his election but pointed out that it happened 'in violation of labour laws' and had clear political motives.

She reminded workers that she had been elected in 2015 at a meeting in Kothagudem, attended by over a thousand members.

She listed her achievements, adding: "As a respected president of the community for the past decade and as a leader of the movement before that, I will continue to work for the workers".

She also spoke about a conspiracy behind her removal. Without naming anyone, she claimed that those who leaked her letter to her father were trying to undermine her and divide the workers. "While such conspiracies do not personally harm me, it seems that some aim to remove me, who is working for the welfare of the workers, and to weaken their unity," she said.

What's next for Kavitha

Kavitha has already started a new group called Singareni Jagruthi under the Telangana Jagruthi banner, which she leads. Many view this as a rival to the union she was removed from. Her goal is clear: she wants to keep control of the coal belt away from the party leadership led by her brother and his supporters.

For Kavitha, the situation positions her as highlighting her commitment to party workers while responding to the political challenges. For KTR and the party leadership, the emphasis remains on retaining organizational control as they prepare for upcoming elections.