In conclusion, Telangana’s politics in late 2025 reflect a competitive tripod: Congress holds power but grapples with delivery and debt; BRS eyes revival through agitation and rural mobilisation; and interstate dynamics add complexity without derailing statehood.
Published Dec 23, 2025 | 11:12 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 23, 2025 | 11:12 AM
KCR, Revanth Reddy, and Ramachander Rao. (X)
Synopsis: As the halfway point of the Congress government’s five-year term in Telangana approaches, the state’s is witnessing a resurgent Opposition, fiscal strains on the ruling party, interstate cooperation amid accusations of betrayal, and lingering fears over central intervention. The Congress government’s performance has drawn criticism, raising questions about whether it has become a burden for Telangana’s people.
As the halfway point of the Congress government’s five-year term in Telangana following its 2023 Assembly election victory approaches, the state’s political dynamics are marked by a resurgent Opposition, fiscal strains on the ruling party, interstate cooperation amid accusations of betrayal, and lingering fears over central intervention.
The BRS, led by former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), is positioning itself for a comeback, capitalising on perceived failures of the Revanth Reddy-led Congress administration. Meanwhile, the BJP remains a marginal player but influences narratives through its central role.
These developments revolve around key issues: BRS’s revival prospects, the Congress government’s performance, alleged ties between Revanth Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and rumours of Hyderabad’s Union Territory (UT) status.
KCR’s return to active politics in December 2025 signals a potential revival for the BRS, which suffered heavy defeats in the 2023 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
After a prolonged absence due to health issues and post-election introspection, KCR chaired a crucial party meeting on 21 December, electrifying cadres with fiery speeches against the Congress and BJP. He announced statewide agitations to defend Telangana’s water rights, framing the current scenario as a “triple betrayal” by the state Congress, the NDA-led Union government, and Naidu.
Recent gram panchayat elections provided a boost: Although officially non-partisan, the BRS secured a strong second place with around 3,500 sarpanch posts, retaining influence in rural strongholds like Siddipet and northern districts.
This performance, coupled with KCR’s roadmap for grassroots strengthening, membership drives, and public movements, has reinvigorated the party. BRS leaders, including working president KT Rama Rao (KTR), confidently predicted a return to power in 2028, citing growing discontent with Congress governance.
Defections from BRS to Congress have slowed, and KCR’s focus on irrigation projects and farmer issues resonates in rural Telangana, offering a clear path for revival if anti-incumbency builds.
However, the Congress government’s performance has drawn criticism, raising questions about whether it has become a burden for Telangana’s people.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s administration has implemented several welfare promises, such as free bus travel for women and enhanced Backward Classes reservations in local bodies, contributing to the party’s dominance in panchayat polls — over 7,500 sarpanch seats.
Yet, fiscal challenges loom large. Telangana’s public debt has crossed ₹2 lakh crore in just 19 months, with aggressive borrowings exceeding budget projections amid claims of inheriting a ₹7-8 lakh crore burden from the BRS era. Critics highlight delays in fully rolling out guarantees like Rythu Bharosa farmer support and fee reimbursements, alongside industrial slowdowns and investor flight to neighbouring states.
Rising debt servicing costs — over ₹22,000 crore spent in 2024-25 against estimates —have strained capital expenditure, prompting Revanth Reddy’s candid admission of limited funds for infrastructure.
Rural discontent over stalled irrigation projects and policy instability has fueled BRS attacks, portraying the Congress as arrogant and ineffective after its “honeymoon” period.
While urban voters appreciate initiatives like Hyderabad’s development focus, rural Telangana appears divided, with panchayat results showing Congress leads but BRS resilience indicating underlying grievances.
A significant flashpoint is the perceived nexus between Revanth Reddy and Naidu, which BRS alleges hinders Telangana’s separate state interests, particularly on river water sharing.
The two leaders, sharing a mentor-protégé history from their TDP days, have maintained cordial ties, meeting multiple times in 2025 to resolve bifurcation issues like asset division. Joint appearances at events, including the World Economic Forum in Davos and cultural promotions, underscore cooperation.
However, KCR accuses this “alliance” of enabling Andhra Pradesh to divert Krishna and Godavari waters, citing the Union government’s return of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme’s DPR allegedly at Naidu’s behest.
Revanth counters that BRS conceded water shares during its rule and challenges KCR to the Assembly debates. This narrative risks eroding Telangana’s hard-won statehood sentiment if water shortages intensify, though bilateral committees formed in 2024-2025 suggest pragmatic resolution rather than outright hindrance.
Finally, rumours of a BJP-NDA conspiracy to declare Hyderabad a Union Territory persist as a BRS rallying cry, though unsubstantiated in 2025. Echoing pre-2024 election fears, KTR and others warn of central overreach to control the economic hub.
No official moves or credible reports support this; it appears as political rhetoric to stoke regional pride. The BJP, with limited gram panchayat gains — around 700 seats — focuses on national issues but faces BRS accusations of colluding with Congress.
In conclusion, Telangana’s politics in late 2025 reflect a competitive tripod: Congress holds power but grapples with delivery and debt; BRS eyes revival through agitation and rural mobilisation; and interstate dynamics add complexity without derailing statehood.
With municipal elections looming and 2028 on the horizon, water rights and welfare implementation will likely define the trajectory, testing whether KCR’s momentum translates into gains or Revanth consolidates through development.
(Views are personal. Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
