Telangana: Why CBI summons to Kavitha is no good news for BRS polls ahead of 2024 polls

Former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha’s woes seem to be never-ending. First, she was defeated by BJP member Arvind Dharmapuri in the last 2019 parliamentary elections in Nizamabad constituency. And, before she recovered from the electoral drubbing, the Delhi liquor policy scam seems to have upset her apple cart.

Although Kavitha has been reiterating that her goal is to get re-elected from Nizamabad in 2024, the scene has changed after the electoral rout suffered by the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) in the 2023 assembly elections. Distressed by the party's defeat in constituencies under her command, she even stopped visiting Nizamabad.

Now, her situation has further worsened, with CBI summoning her to present herself before the investigating agency in connection with the infamous Delhi liquor policy scam on February 26, 2024.

Though she refused to honour the CBI summons stating that the summons issued under 41A CrPC was illogical, the recent developments have revived the debate on her alleged role in the scam that was almost forgotten for over a year.

This is expected to cast a shadow on the BRS' revival attempts in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

With the hope of contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Kavitha has been making efforts to attract the Hindu vote bank in the Nizamabad constituency by participating in programmes such as renovation of temples, spiritual activities and participating in holy recitations like that of the Hanuman Chalisa in popular temples. All her activities were widely publicised on social media.

She changed the name of her cultural organisation, Telangana Jagruti, to Bharata Jagruti and organised programmes at the national level. She started talking about the greatness of Hindu culture as well.

In addition to this, a political 'Deeksha' for women’s reservations was also held in Delhi. She moved around with great gusto to enthuse her supporters in the constituency.

Now, it seems that the controversy about her alleged role in the liquor policy scam is expected to end these activities abruptly. What has upset her more is that the CBI had reopened the case after fifteen months.

The CBI notice has turned out to be the most embarrassing for her family and the BRS on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. Largely because it has the potential to upset the BRS' prospects badly. The Congress and BJP will also spare no effort to target the corruption in KCR's family more ferociously in the campaign.

Due to the liquor policy scam taint, the BRS party did not give Kavitha much responsibility in the November 2023 assembly elections. She did not get permission to campaign in the Kamareddy constituency, where her father, KCR, was the candidate. She was asked to focus only on the Nizamabad and Bhodhan assembly constituencies, where the BRS' nominees lost to BJP and Congress, respectively. That made a dent in her reputation.

So, it is becoming clear that with the liquor policy scam investigations looming in the horizon, it is highly improbable that the party would field her in the Lok Sabha election. The news that the party is hunting for a new candidate for the Nizamabad constituency is already making the rounds.

A senior leader from Nizamabad said the party should keep her away from elections as the liquor policy scam controversy has been revived again.

“Because of the ED questioning last year the party's reputation got tarnished before the Assembly election. Now, on the eve of Lok Sabha elections, the CBI investigation is bound to undermine the party’s prospects, “ he said.

Despite all the criticism hurled against KCR's family members, no one has been defamed as much as Kavitha because of her suspected role in the liquor policy scam and the CBI and ED investigations, he said.

Many feel an alliance between BJP and BRS will alone be a saving grace for Kavitha. In fact, political commentators like K Nageswar do not rule out an alliance between BJP and BRS.

"BRS and BJP have to face a common enemy, the Congress, in Telangana. Working together to defeat Congress will be mutually beneficial. Both parties are said to be exploring the possibilities for a tie-up," revealed K Nageswar.

Those who believe the CBI summons is nothing but a pressure tactic by the BJP to force BRS to strike an electoral alliance with the saffron party felt that KCR should not buckle down under pressure from the BJP.

Karli Srinivasulu, a retired professor of political science at Osmania University, feels that any alliance with the BJP will further erode the credibility of BRS. The accusation that BRS was the B team of BJP had also played a role in the former's defeat in the 2023 Assembly elections, he said.

“KCR should face the challenge posed by the investigating agencies to emerge as a leader of a regional party with a distinct identity different from that of national parties like Congress and BJP. The preservation of regional Telangana identity will help the BRS consolidate itself in the long run. A tie-up with BJP for a short-term goal is self-destructive,” he felt.