SNCN ACHARYULU
Hyderabad
Now the politics of the BRS and the BJP is revolving around BRS MLC K. Kavitha. Both the BRS and the BJP are trying to get the upper hand on the Kavitha issue.
While the BRS is trying to get political mileage from the Kavitha issue, the BJP is trying to dilute the issue to minimise the political mileage the BRS is likely to gain.
Expecting Kavitha’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi liquor scam on Saturday when Kavitha appeared before the ED the BRS leaders overreacted. Around half a dozen ministers went to New Delhi along with BRS MLAs and leaders and took part in the protests there.
The BRS leaders thought that Kavitha was sure to be arrested. But the ED after questioning Kavitha for about eight hours let off Kavitha and asked her to appear again on March 16.
In fact, the BJP has been campaigning about the arrest of Kavitha in the Delhi liquor scam for around three months. The BJP’s plan is to prepare the people of Telangana for the arrest of Kavitha. If the ED or the CBI suddenly arrests Kavitha then there can be some reaction from the public against the BJP.
Keeping this in mind the BJP prepared the people so that there will be no surprise if Kavitha gets arrested. In fact, the issue of Kavitha’s arrest in the Delhi liquor scam has become a point of discussion among the public since a few days.
The BJP thinks that if Kavitha is arrested now the people will think that it was expected and is no surprise. When there is no surprise among the public on any issue their reaction will also not be much.
Now all eyes are on March 16 when Kavitha is going to appear before the ED again. Generally, investigation agencies arrest and detain suspects including VIPs on Fridays and public holidays.
Political activists say that this is meant to ensure that they spend weekends behind bars and is an attempt to intimidate them as they wait to be presented in court. Kavitha has been asked to appear on March 16 which is a Thursday.
BRS leaders think that Kavitha’s arrest is certain on March 16. But it is not clear to BRS leaders whether Kavitha will be arrested on Thursday or will be asked again to appear on Friday also so that she can be arrested.
Political observers think that if Kavitha is arrested in the Delhi liquor scam the BRS will get more political mileage than the BJP.
They say that in politics corruption is not an issue. For example, YSR Congress President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy faced several corruption allegations but in spite of that the people gave him a landslide victory in the 2019 Assembly elections
If Kavitha is arrested she will get sympathy from the public as she is a woman. At the same time, the BRS will definitely launch a stir across the state on the issue. This will help the BRS to activate its cadres ahead of the Assembly elections.
The BJP is going to get nothing in terms of a political advantage except the satisfaction that Kavitha has been arrested.
