Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has chosen Khammam to host Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (former TRS) first big public meeting.
Venue
Khammam district in Telangana shares a border with Andhra Pradesh and has a significant population of settlers. During the peak of the Telangana agitation and in the aftermath, BRS (former TRS) received very minimum support in the district for its activities.
Even in the last elections in 2018, the party won just one assembly seat. In the current context, Khammam is up for grabs, politically. The TDP (Telugu Desam Party) is eyeing to re-enter Telangana through Khammam as it has a considerable support base there. Recently, former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu also held a meeting in Khammam. YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) chief Sharmila has also announced her plans to contest from an assembly seat in Khammam district. According to sources, the BJP is trying to rope in two popular TRS leaders from Khammam—former MP, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and former Minister, Tummala Nageshwara Rao which is ringing alarm bells in the TRS camp. Also, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Bhatti Vikramarka’s constituency is in this district and he has conducted padayatra here in the past.
Keeping the hectic political activity in mind, analysts feel KCR has chosen Khammam to strengthen the party and energise the cadre and not give away this part of Telangana on a platter to the opposition.
Preparations
According to party estimates, 5 lakh people will turn up for the meeting. A 100-acre land will accommodate them and additionally, 400 acres have been earmarked for parking vehicles. A security blanket of 5,000 police personnel will ensure proper security and facilitate the smooth conduct of the proceedings involving 4 Chief Ministers. There are also traffic restrictions in place in and around Khammam. Attendees and party cadres are reaching the venue through bike and tractor rallies and walkathons. Party leaders are personally overlooking the arrangements to transport their supporters from their respective constituencies. The road leading to Khammam has turned pink (party colour) with innumerable posters, party flags, and hoardings.
Guest list
The guest list is a fine mix of south and north leadership, CMs and ex-CMs. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal would be on the dais, extending support to KCR. He will be joined by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. Another guaranteed presence is ex-Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Akhilesh Yadav. From the south, Kerala Chief Minister and CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan will be there along with his CPI party colleague, D. Raja. The meeting venue boasts huge cutouts and banners of all these leaders. The newly appointed BRS leaders from Andhra Pradesh are also making their way to the border district of Khammam. Within BRS, almost all the Ministers, MLAs and their followers will be present during the event.
Schedule
The four CMs along with other national leaders were received on Tuesday and Wednesday in Hyderabad by top ministers in KCR’s cabinet. They were treated to Telangana breakfast after which they were flown to Yadadri temple, which is some distance away from Hyderabad to showcase KCR’s pet project involving the reconstruction and beautification of an ancient temple with a cost of more than Rs 1,500 crores. Post the tour, the guests would be taken to a chopper waiting at a helipad near the temple to be taken to the meeting venue. The meeting will take place from 2 pm to 5 pm.
Significance
The meeting will flag off an ambitious campaign of Telangana CM KCR who wants to foray into national politics. Though he first initiated the idea before the 2018 state elections, it failed to take off. This time, it is a more serious attempt as he has rebranded the party and also started construction of the party office in Delhi. His meeting with regional and national party leaders has also increased in the last two years and at the same, the gap between him and the BJP has widened. At present, the party is locked in an intense battle with the state BJP which is aggressively trying to project itself as the principal challenger of the BRS.
The presence of three CMs and leaders like Akhilesh will be a message to the voters of the country that KCR’s BRS is gaining acceptance and will also guarantee publicity. This will be a launchpad for KCR and his party to organise and travel to other states in the run-up to the general elections in 2024.
Agenda
The speakers coming from varied regions and parties are bonded by one common factor of being anti-BJP in their political stand. The leaders are expected to attack BJP and broadly declare support for a common cause to take down the saffron party. It will be interesting to watch Kejriwal’s address as his party is also vying to be a national outfit and looking to expand to states outside Delhi and Punjab. On his part, KCR might detail his aims and goals that will benefit the people of the nation if his party or the coalition is voted to power. The prime focus would most likely be to attract the farmers of the country.
