Since the party drew a blank in the Lok Sabha polls, it had seen a sharp decline in spirits, but the packed venue on Sunday offered a semblance of revival.
Published Apr 27, 2025 | 9:18 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 27, 2025 | 9:18 PM
The public meeting rivalled the scale of rallies held during the height of the Telangana movement in 2005 and 2010, signalling the BRS’s ambitions to reclaim lost ground.
Synopsis: In a show of strength, BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao sought to revive Telangana pride at the party’s silver jubilee celebrations in Elkathurthy. In a festive atmosphere, he criticised the Congress for failing to deliver on its promises, while the event firmly projected his son, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao, as his political successor. The large turnout, elaborate arrangements, boosted cadre morale and signalled the BRS’s efforts to regain lost ground.
The hopes of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) rose on Sunday, April 27, as party supremo and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao sought to rekindle the spirit of the Telangana movement and galvanise people against the ruling Congress in Telangana.
Thousands converged on Elkathurthy in Hanamkonda district for the silver jubilee celebrations, with the party ensuring a massive turnout to boost the morale of its cadre.
Supporters, sympathisers, workers and leaders arrived in large numbers by bullock carts, buses, private cars and two-wheelers, creating a ‘pink surge’ on the roads leading to the venue.
KCR’s arrival at the public meeting venue around 7pm electrified the audience.
It was his first major public appearance in a long time, having largely confined himself to his farmhouse after the party’s defeat in the 2023 Assembly elections, except for a few meetings during the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Since the party drew a blank in the Lok Sabha polls, it had seen a sharp decline in spirits, but the packed venue on Sunday offered a semblance of revival.
Banners, festoons and flex boards featuring images of KCR and party Working President KT Rama Rao were visible across the city.
A huge backdrop with their portraits adorned the sprawling dais, and Warangal wore a festive look reminiscent of the Telangana agitation days.
Folk artistes kept the crowd energised, performing popular BRS anthems, including Gulabila Jendale Ramakka, a regular refrain during earlier elections.
The plenary served as a much-needed morale booster for the rank and file.
Without naming Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy or any member of the government, KCR launched a scathing attack on the Congress administration.
“Already one and a half years is over. You have not been able to do anything. If we deduct the last one year of the Congress term, it would be left with about two and a half years,” he said.
“They would not be able to do anything. The people also would know by then the kind of fly-by-night operators they are. You should be very careful this time. Elect the BRS to power again. It is the only party that cared and fought for Telangana.”
Though KCR appeared to have lost some of the force and wit that once marked his speeches, he was able to tap into public discontent and attempted to rally the gathering against the Congress government.
“The very fact that you have turned up for this meeting in lakhs shows that you have already made up your mind (to defeat the Congress) and are just waiting for the elections,” he said.
KCR also challenged the Congress to try and stop the BRS’s resurgence, questioning whether it could prevent the party from holding meetings.
Dismissing speculation that the BRS was plotting to topple the Congress government, KCR said,
“There is no need for BRS to dislodge the government. We are least interested in it. If the Congress does not keep the promises it had made, the people themselves would break their backs.”
In his 45-minute address, KCR traced the history of the Telangana movement, beginning with the first wave of agitation in 1969 against what he described as the Congress’ dictatorial rule.
He detailed the second phase of the movement, which he led against the Congress both at the state and central levels.
He recounted how, during the tenure of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in undivided Andhra Pradesh, even the use of the word ‘Telangana’ was banned in the Assembly, and explained his fight to secure a dignified life for the people of the region.
Reflecting on his government’s achievements post-2014, KCR said:
“In just 10 years, Telangana surged on growth path with per capita income galloping and recording the highest GSDP among all other states.”
He highlighted welfare initiatives such as Rythu Bandhu and infrastructure projects like Kaleshwaram.
Turning his criticism towards the Congress government, KCR accused it of misleading the electorate with unrealistic welfare promises.
He said the Congress, after coming to power, was now claiming that it lacked the funds to fulfil these promises, calling it a “rank betrayal” of the people’s trust.
He also alleged rampant corruption, citing commissions of 20 to 30 percent being demanded from contractors for clearing bills.
KCR also warned the police against targeting BRS social media activists.
“They should not indulge in politics as it is not their job. The social media activists of the BRS would question the government when it fails and in a democracy it is allowed. Why are you getting hyperactive and booking cases against them?” he asked.
The party’s silver jubilee celebrations also sent a strong signal about the leadership succession within the BRS.
KCR’s speech and the visual imagery at the venue left little doubt about his choice of successor.
Large hoardings and flex boards prominently featured KCR alongside his son, party Working President KT Rama Rao, suggesting a clear endorsement.
Though senior leaders like former Minister T Harish Rao and MLC K Kavitha were present and involved in the preparations, the dominance of KCR and KTR’s images on the dais and across the venue was unmistakable.
Initially, Harish Rao was reportedly not very involved, but he took an active role in overseeing the arrangements closer to the event.
The overall impression was one of grooming KTR as the future chief ministerial face, should the party regain power in the next elections.
For the past month, BRS leaders had been working to make the silver jubilee celebrations a grand affair, intended not just to boost the morale of the cadre but also to send a message to the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party that the party remained a potent force.
Drone visuals of the venue flooded social media in the days leading up to the event.
The sprawling venue covered about 1,213 acres of open land, with 1,059 acres designated for parking and the remaining space used for the meeting.
A massive dais was constructed, along with expansive seating arrangements and large LED screens to ensure that the huge crowd could follow KCR’s speech.
About 200 generators were placed on standby to avoid any disruption due to power outages.
Given the searing summer heat, the organisers ensured the availability of drinking water, set up medical camps, and kept ambulances ready to address any instances of heatstroke.
The public meeting rivalled the scale of rallies held during the height of the Telangana movement in 2005 and 2010, signalling the BRS’s ambitions to reclaim lost ground.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
