Why Modi’s big disclosure about KCR won't convince many of a no-deal

Why Prime Minister Modi revealed it now is the question being debated more in BJP circles rather than outside.

Addressing a public meeting in Nizamabad on Tuesday, the PM said KCR had called on him to strike a political deal immediately after the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections held in December 2020. The PM said KCR came to him with a request to join NDA and to seek blessings for his son. However, Modi had turned him down stating that the corrupt had no place to sit by him.

The “deal” over Kavitha

The recent deal was allegedly struck in March 2023 when KCR’s daughter Kavitha’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) looked imminent in the Delhi liquor scam. Speculation of Kavitha’s arrest was so intense at that time that on March 9, even KCR told party leaders that his daughter would be arrested on March 10. But, it did not happen. Similarly, around the same time, a sensational case booked against top BJP leaders by state CID, after a sting operation in a farmhouse, where a conspiracy was allegedly hatched to poach BRS MLAs with huge money, disappeared.

This gave rise to speculation whether a deal was allegedly struck to save Kavitha from being arrested in the scam by ED in New Delhi, and BJP general secretary BL Santosh in BRS MLAs’ poaching case by CID in Hyderabad.

The “deal” left many in the BJP disheartened because the much-anticipated KCR’s daughter’s arrest, that too in a liquor case, did not happen as indicated by the ED. Instead, Bandi Sanjay, a strident critic of KCR and the man who kept BJP alive in the state, lost his job as state president. In return, the state CID put on the back burner the case related to the poaching of BRS MLAs by BJP, in which national general secretary BL Santhosh’s involvement was suspected.

BJP loses its edge

The “deal” robbed the BJP of its edge over the Congress as the alternative to BRS. Many leaders, who joined the BJP after the 2019 Lok Sabha election with the hope that it could defeat KCR have started leaving the party. The saffron party’s popularity graph fell and the morale of party cadres plummeted. BJP activities came to a near-halt and surfaced only during the visits of VIPs from Delhi.

Now, five senior leaders, namely Vijaya Shanti, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Konda Visweswar Reddy, G Vivek, and Enugu Ravinder Reddy, are said to be toying with the idea of leaving the party. These leaders perceive that BJP and BRS are one and that defeating KCR is no longer the BJP’s target.

“Even if I remain in the party, I cannot campaign for BJP as I did in the Munugode by-election recently,” one of them confided in The Federal.

“Poor defence”

Against this backdrop, instead of clearing the doubts about the recent deal, the PM made an attempt to prove that there was no deal between BRS and BJP by citing an old and long-forgotten meeting held 18 months back.

CPI national secretary Dr K Narayana said Modi held forth a poor defence against the universal belief of the Modi-KCR deal. “Then, why are Kavitha and AP CM Jagan’s friends involved in the liquor scam alone safe and the rest are in Tihar jail?” he queried.

Political analyst Prof Nageswar also felt that Modi’s remarks may not satisfy the average BJP worker, who is convinced that BRS and BJP entered a pact. “The questions that are tormenting the average BJP worker like who reined-in ED to prevent Kavitha from being arrested and why was Bandi removed at the peak of his performance, were not answered by Modi,” he said.

Stating that mutual cooperation is a natural choice for BRS and BJP, as the Congress is their common enemy, Prof Nageswar said Modi’s remarks were only pre-election rhetoric, which might not be adhered to after elections.

“Modi called JD(S) in Karnataka ‘parivarwadi’ (practising dynasty politics) and ‘bhrashtachari’ (corrupt). What happened now? He made JD(S) an ally. The same thing happened in the case of NCP in Maharashtra as well,” Prof Nageswar said, stating this applies to BRS as well.

Congress stand

Congress, on the other hand, sees Modi’s remark as confirmation of a deal between BRS and BJP.

“PM Modi revealed only half of the story. As per the deal, KCR would work to weaken the Opposition and help the BJP win the 2024 election. Later, KCR would anoint his son as chief minister and BRS would join the NDA cabinet. Prime Minister Modi is waging a mock fight with KCR only to boost the morale of party cadre disillusioned by the deal,” said Dr Mallu Ravi, Telangana Congress senior vice-president.

White lie

An analyst said Modi’s remarks were more intended to stop desertions from the BJP rather than hurting KCR. “Many anti-KCR leaders are deserting the BJP, which is a worrying factor because they are openly talking of a deal between BRS and BJP. So, Modi chose a wrong incident to prove that he had rejected KCR’s push for a deal in 2020 itself,” he said.

He said this was the BJP’s way of enthusing their disappointed cadres. “Sometime back, during a tour in Andhra Pradesh, home minister Amit Shah called chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy as the most corrupt chief minister in the country. It did not create a rift between the BJP and the YSRCP. Jagan’s MPs backed Modi’s government at the time of the no-confidence motion,” he said.

On the other hand, KCR’s son and state IT and municipal minister KT Ramarao dismissed PM Modi’s comments as a “white lie”. He said they were “not bitten by a mad dog” to think of joining a sinking ship called NDA.

“If KCR wants to appoint me the chief minister, why does he need Modi’s permission when BRS has got an absolute majority in the House,” he asked.

BJP sources, however, admitted that damage was already done and the PM’s disclosure, though it created a temporary storm, was unlikely to repair it. Now, CM KCR is expected to react to Modi's remarks on October 16 at the time of releasing the BRS manifesto in Warangal.