K Chandrashekhar Rao who started his career with youth congress later moved to TDP under NTR’s charisma and eventually after the 1995 coup, he sided with Chandrababu Naidu and became a minister. After the 1999 elections, he was the deputy speaker of AP Assembly. This is when he quit and launched the TRS party in the year 2001. Now, it’s a full circle to 2022 when TRS has been rechristened as BRS, Bharata Rashtra Samithi.
KCR has announced his national ambitions. Becoming a CM following Telangana state formation in 2014 was a watershed moment. Since then, under his leadership the state has made impressive strides in many arenas and even his political opponents cannot but agree on the fact that Telangana has carved a unique national identity under his leadership. Now, after BRS launch KCR is expected to focus on Telugu speaking areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra. All eyes are on his next move regarding Andhra Pradesh.
There are reports that very soon he may break the ground for his party office in Vijayawada. Although KCR took a principled stand against Seemandhra rulers a decade ago during separate statehood agitation, somehow an impression was conveyed that he is anti-Andhra. KCR admitted that at the heat of the moment, those were his statements.
However, his rule in Hyderabad over the last 8 years proved what KCR often stated during the statehood struggle. He or his party is never against people who came to Hyderabad for livelihood. There was no attack on any Seemandhra resident or native in Telangana. KCR wants to emotionally connect with Andhra voters, as and when he decides to do so. In addition to roping in some good leaders who are keen to sail with him, the Telangana CM is confident that his unique program, connecting speeches and appealing to Andhra sentiments of better development on par with Hyderabad can make the difference.
In fact, the popularity for KCR is growing these days in AP too. While there is speculation that there may be a tie up with YSRCP given the cordial relations between him and Jagan, all options are on the table for the BRS party since its coming out with a fresh appeal and a nationwide connection. As a fellow Telugu leader, Seemandhras may be willing to give a chance to KCR who has proved time and again that he is a different person, as an agitation leader and as a CM.
