Satya Column: Bharat Rashtra Samiti is facing rough weather even in TS

The Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) founded by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao reminds us of the mythological anecdote of Poundrakudu.Poundrakudu, in a bid to defeat Lord Krishna, had ordered a big mace and a wheel (chakra) and then, claiming to be the real Lord, harassed people, according to legends.However, Lord Krishna killed him. A movie titled ‘Sri Krishna Vijayam’ was made based on the story.  

Today, KCR is acting like Poundrakudu. To clash with the BJP  — the strongest party at the national level — is it enough for him to change the name of his regional party into Bharat Rashtra Samiti? Can KCR, with his gimmicks, achieve the stature of PM Narendra Modi?
The BJP, right from the days of the Jan Sangh, had withstood ups and downs in the public domain for several decades, before attaining its current status. Narendra Modi had worked hard for 14 years in various states, from the position of a party pracharak, prior to becoming Prime Minister. The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for over 27 years. Modi has emerged as an unparalleled leader, both at home and aboard.

KCR has been facing a lot of rough weather from people at every step. There are allegations of corruption to the tune of several thousands of crores of rupees against KCR, his Cabinet colleagues and family members. In Telangana, every government scheme is steeped in corruption.The huge corruption that had taken place in the execution of the Kaleswaram project is obvious.There is no end to corruption in liquor business, sand quarrying, mining activities, development of roads and other projects. TRS leaders also indulged in corruption in other states, if the Delhi liquor scam is any indication.  

If a political outfit is floated at the national level, the party should be able to attract several allies. For example, when Janata Party was floated in the past to clash with the Congress, several parties – including Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal, Socialist Party and Congress (O), merged with it to form a single party. Are Akhilesh and Kumaraswamy ready to merge their outfits with the BRS?  Or, will KCR’s friends Arvind Kejriwal or Nitish Kumar merge their parties with the BRS? Will the BRS be able to sustain at least in Telangana?

The BRS is facing rough weather even in Telangana, going by the outcomes of bypolls to Huzurabad, Dubbaka and Munugode. The Congress, with its internal bickering, is on the way out. KCR is gearing up to spend his last days in political life in Delhi with BRS having just one or two MPs.

Soon after Modi came to power in 2014, several leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Bannerjee, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and Sharad Pawar, tried to find an alternative to Modi, but their efforts did not bear fruit.Rahul Gandhi has embarked on Bharat Jodo Yatra to save his identity.But the recent election results suggest that the yatra did not benefit the Congress much.

Nitish Kumar, a senior leader among the opposition ranks, recently went on record that he would migrate to national politics. Nitish had declared that the next Assembly elections in Bihar would be held under the leadership of RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav. Some political analysts say Nitish is nursing an ambition to become the Prime Minister of the country.

Nitish must know that the soil under his feet is crumbling in Bihar. The bypolls held to the Kurhani Assembly seat in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar led to BJP victory.The Maha Ghatbandhan was pitted against the BJP in the constituency under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. In the bypolls held to the Gopalganj seat in last August, the Maha Ghatbandhan could not escape defeat at the hands of the BJP. In the two seats, seven parties, including JD (U), RJD, Congress and left parties, entered the poll fray basing on their caste equations. But people supported the BJP, whose base extends among all communities.

People are looking for alternatives to JD (U) and RJD. Traditional vote banks of the two parties are veering towards the BJP, according to political observers.A similar situation is likely to unfold in Telangana.Traditional vote banks of the Congress and the BRS would migrate to the BJP. It is becoming clear even to KCR that he cannot win elsewhere without first winning on the home turf.