KCR’s directive to make BC reservations the main campaign plank reflects a calculated effort to tap into the sentiments of a significant voter base in Telangana.
Published Jul 30, 2025 | 11:57 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 30, 2025 | 11:57 AM
K Chandrashekar Rao. (X)
Synopsis: BRS President and former chief minister KCR outlined a strategy for the upcoming local body elections, placing the issue of BC reservations at the forefront of the party’s campaign. The BRS chief also focused on critical issues like irrigation and agriculture, which resonate deeply with Telangana’s rural voters.
In a significant move to reclaim lost political ground in Telangana, BRS President and former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao outlined a strategy for the upcoming local body elections, placing the issue of Backward Classes (BC) reservations at the forefront of the party’s campaign.
Addressing party functionaries on Tuesday, 29 July, at his Erravilli farmhouse in Siddipet district, Rao — popularly known as KCR — directed BRS leaders to aggressively expose the ruling Congress’s failure to deliver on its promise of 42 percent reservations for BCs in local body elections, a commitment that has become a contentious issue due to legal and political hurdles.
KCR’s directive to make BC reservations the main campaign plank reflects a calculated effort to tap into the sentiments of a significant voter base in Telangana.
The BRS chief urged party cadres to hammer home the message that Congress has reneged on its pledge to provide 42 percent reservations for BCs, accusing it of shifting blame to the BJP at the Centre for failing to secure the necessary constitutional amendment.
“The Congress is hoodwinking the BCs,” KCR told his party workers, stressing that BRS must position itself as the true champion of BC rights.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao — KTR — already echoed this sentiment in the recent past, highlighting the party’s historical commitment to BC welfare.
Citing the example of Parakala constituency, KTR had said that under KCR’s leadership, 58.15 percentof Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) were represented by BCs, presenting this as evidence of BRS’s dedication to empowering marginalised communities.
The party is now mobilising its grassroots workers to hit the ground running, organising campaigns to underscore Congress’s inaction and demand that local body elections be deferred until the 42 percent BC reservation is implemented.
This focus on BC reservations comes against the backdrop of legal challenges, as the Supreme Court’s 50 percent cap on reservations requires a constitutional amendment or inclusion in the IXth Schedule to enable the 42 percent quota.
Beyond BC reservations, KCR’s meeting with party functionaries covered a wide range of issues aimed at exposing the Congress government’s governance failures.
The former chief minister accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of mortgaging Telangana’s interests to serve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategies, a charge also levelled against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. KCR urged BRS leaders to highlight Congress’s unfulfilled promises.
The BRS chief also focused on critical issues like irrigation and agriculture, which resonate deeply with Telangana’s rural voters. He expressed dismay at the Congress government’s handling of the Kaleshwaram project, accusing it of rendering the state’s largest irrigation scheme dysfunctional.
With the Kharif sowing season nearing its end, KCR demanded that the Kannepalli pump house be activated to lift Godavari waters for filling tanks and ponds, ensuring farmers’ needs are met. He further criticised the state government for its failure to ensure an adequate supply of urea and fertilisers, which has left farmers struggling.
KCR also raised concerns about Telangana’s share of river waters, particularly the Krishna River, and vehemently opposed the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposed Banakacherla project in Nandyal, which aims to divert Godavari waters from Polavaram.
He instructed BRS leaders to mobilise public opinion against this project, asserting that Telangana’s water rights must be protected at all costs.
The meeting served as a platform for KCR to dispel speculation that he has been leading a reclusive life since BRS’s electoral setback. By actively engaging with party functionaries, KCR signalled his hands-on approach to navigating the immediate political challenges.
The BRS faces significant challenges as it prepares for the local body elections. The party is still reeling from its losses in the 2023 Assembly elections, where its seats dropped from 88 to 39, and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it failed to win any of the nine seats it contested.
The perception of KCR’s detachment, fuelled by his limited public appearances, remains a hurdle, though his recent engagement with party workers aims to counter this narrative.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
