REPORTERS’ DIARY : Bruised BRS still doesn’t care for its karyakartas

The strength of a chain is limited to that of its weakest link. So, after strong leaders started quitting, Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s leadership proclaimed that its leaders might go, “but karyakartas would remain with the party”. In fact, karyakartas were instrumental in foreclosing at least one defection: that of Prakash Goud. BRS is no doubt bruised. And, karyakartas in the party are not without heartburn for other reasons. For, its leaders, sitting in the comforts of AC rooms, just make statements about karyakartas’ arrests. Party big wigs don’t go and meet them, but only post on social media. The latest on this front is that BRS karyakartas are sore that no one who counts in the party went to visit jailed Krishank (believed to be close to former minister and party working president KT Rama Rao). They ask: “If he (Krishank) is nobody, what about lesser mortals like us? Who will come for us?”
One can understand BRS karyakarthas’ feelings. During the BRS regime, when Bharatiya Janata Party or Congress cadres were arrested, the leaders of the respective parties used to visit them, and later speak to the media as well. The Congress used to keep the issue alive by making its leaders visit prison. In BJP, the amrit vani among karyakartas is that Amit Shah himself will jump in directly should anything untoward happen to them.
KCR has changed, but not KTR
A typical karyakarta of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi blames the loss of the party in the Assembly elections on Twitter and Instagram influencers as well as curated interviews of party working president and former minister KT Rama Rao. KTR, as is his wont, did a podcast again recently, and, except for his coterie known for unthinking obidence, nobody seemed to like it. “It is very weird that KTR has not learnt any lessons”, remarked a person in a prominent position on BRS’ heirarchy. As for KCR, there is a visible change. Remarkably soon after recovery from his hip fracture, he has been on the move, mingling with people at street-corner meetings, and, more importantly, doing marathon interviews. Going by the impact of KCR’s recent interview to a news channel, the buzz in party circles on hindsight is that had he entertained press conferences before the elections and spoken his mind, BRS would not have been ousted so decisively.