The Bharat Rashtra Samithi is now the main opposition party in Telangana. Yet it often behaves as if it is the ruling party, despite its electoral defeat. While the party frequently falls short on substantive governance ideas or policy alternatives, it has never hesitated to launch aggressive attacks on the government and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy — often in the most brazen manner, including personal ridicule of his height and appearance.
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, who studied and worked in the US, projects himself as a polished politician. However, he has struggled to establish himself as an effective opposition leader. Beyond personal attacks on the chief minister, the BRS has failed to mount any meaningful policy-based campaign or take issues to their logical conclusion. This "ruling party" delusion appears to have deepened with the party's extremely delayed and half-hearted response to a high-profile drugs scandal in March 2026. No opposition party can afford to stay silent when such serious allegations emerge involving its own members.
On March 14, 2026, the Telangana police's Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) raided a farmhouse in Moinabad owned by former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, acting on intelligence about an alleged drug party. The raid led to the detention of 11 people, the seizure of around 2 grams of cocaine, and reports of shots fired (allegedly to scare officers). Quick urine and blood tests confirmed drug usage among six individuals, including former BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy (who tested positive for cocaine) and TDP MP Putta Mahesh Kumar Yadav from Andhra Pradesh (who tested positive for methamphetamine after initial urine test was negative but blood confirmed it).
In stark contrast, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which governs Andhra Pradesh, responded swiftly by issuing a show-cause notice to its MP Putta Mahesh Kumar Yadav and placing responsibility on him pending his reply. The TDP's quick action aligned with its ongoing statewide anti-drug campaign, "Say No To Drugs Bro!" prominently led by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, IT Minister Nara Lokesh, and Home Minister V. Anitha.
The BRS, however, offered only belated and limited reactions. KTR condemned drug use in general and called for punishment for those involved. Party spokesperson and MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar demanded a full, transparent investigation and punishment for the guilty. But these statements could not substitute for prompt, decisive action against party-linked individuals suspected of drug consumption. This inaction has severely damaged the BRS's image as a pro-growth and responsible party.
Why do people expect swift action from political parties in such cases? Drug abuse has become alarmingly rampant across both Telugu states. Andhra Pradesh has made anti-drug messaging a core part of its public campaigns, giving the TDP little choice but to act decisively. The BRS, by contrast, appeared to believe it could simply ride out the crisis. Unlike past controversies, this case refused to fade, as EAGLE swiftly confirmed guilt through on-site and follow-up tests.
A prompt disciplinary step against Pilot Rohith Reddy — such as immediate suspension or at least a show-cause notice — could have demonstrated basic accountability. As the scandal intensified over the following days, the BRS eventually issued a show-cause notice and barred him from party activities pending inquiry, but it was too little, too late.
KTR also missed a golden opportunity to counter persistent allegations that he and his associates have fostered a drug culture in Telangana. TPCC chief B. Mahesh Kumar Goud dared KTR to undergo a blood test during an Assembly session alongside leaders from all parties. Though KTR accepted the challenge, no such tests have been reported so far. Undergoing the tests (even if largely symbolic) could have sent a strong anti-drug message to the public. In today's climate, politicians voluntarily participating in such anti-drugs messaging events would not be a bad idea. The belated show-cause notice serves little purpose and reinforces perceptions of reluctance.
Telugu media has further amplified the damage by highlighting Rohith Reddy's importance within the BRS. Andhra Jyothi, for instance, published reports alleging that during the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections, the BRS pressured Congress leaders not to contest against him in Tandur — indicating his close proximity to party chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao and KTR. As a result, any action the BRS now takes — even expulsion — is widely viewed as half-hearted and insincere, rather than genuine accountability. This delayed response has only deepened public skepticism toward the party.