BRS rift resurfaces as MLC Kavitha alleges internal conspiracy behind remarks against her

Telangana Jagruti president and MLC K Kavitha on Sunday alleged that a senior party leader was behind the "inappropriate remarks" made against her, bringing "internal rifts" within the BRS back into focus.

While she did not specify the nature of the comments, Kavitha said the silence of her party colleagues over the issue was telling.

"The whole of Telangana felt bad when inappropriate remarks were made against me, a daughter of this state. Many people reacted. But, for some reason, my brothers in the BRS remained silent. We need to question why," she told reporters here.

Kavitha claimed she had specific information that a senior leader within the party was responsible for instigating the remarks.

"These conspirators think they can plant people among my supporters and gather information about me. But they should know—I, too, know what's happening inside the party," she added.

"I know whom you met, whom you encouraged to speak against me, and how low you stooped to target a woman. I'm watching it all," she claimed.

The BRS leader, who is the daughter of party president K Chandrasekhar Rao, said she "believes in karma" and warned that those targeting her "would eventually face consequences."

She also aimed at a "Lilliput leader" in the BRS, accusing him of damaging the party's prospects in Nalgonda district and of making "disparaging comments" about her.

"What stature does any leader in BRS have without KCR? It was KCR who introduced all of us to the people," she claimed.

Factionalism in the BRS came into public view earlier in May when Kavitha expressed dismay over the leak of a letter she had written to her father and party chief. At the time, she had said that conspiracies were at play within the party and likened "KCR to a god surrounded by devils."

Her brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao had then responded by stating that "internal party issues should be addressed within the party forum and not aired in public."

Since then, Kavitha has continued political activities under Telangana Jagruti, a cultural outfit she heads.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, she demanded that the Congress government in Telangana grant permission for a proposed 72-hour hunger strike from August 4.

She said the protest is intended to pressure both the state government and the NDA-led Centre to approve the backward class reservation bills passed by the Telangana Assembly in March, which propose a 42 per cent quota for backward communities.