Hyderabad, March 24: The simmering political tension in Telangana escalated sharply on Monday as former MLC and senior BRS leader K. Kavitha launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led state government’s proposed power sector overhaul, demanding public hearings in all 33 districts. The confrontation has brought the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS into a direct collision course, with both parties accusing each other of sabotaging the state’s agrarian economy.
Kavitha’s Demand for District-Wide Public Hearings
Speaking to mediapersons outside her residence in Banjara Hills, K. Kavitha alleged that the Congress government’s plan to establish a new entity, tentatively known as “Rythu Discom,” was designed to dismantle the existing power distribution system that has long subsidized electricity for farmers. “The Congress government is pushing this reform without any transparency. We demand that public hearings be conducted in all 33 districts of Telangana before any such decision is finalized,” she stated, flanked by a group of BRS supporters carrying placards reading “Save Farmers’ Rights.”
Kavitha, daughter of BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao, emphasized that farmers in the state have benefited from free and uninterrupted power supply for the past decade. “Under the BRS regime, we ensured 24-hour free power to farmers. Now, the Congress is trying to bring in a model that will burden our Annadata (food providers) with higher tariffs and unreliable supply,” she charged.
Congress Dismisses BRS Claims as Political Gimmick
In a swift response, Telangana Congress spokesperson and senior leader A. Revanth Reddy, who is also the state’s Chief Minister, dismissed Kavitha’s demands as a “stale political stunt” aimed at distracting from the BRS’s own failures. Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Revanth Reddy asserted that the proposed reforms were necessary to modernize the power sector and eliminate inefficiencies inherited from the previous administration.
“The BRS leaders are crying foul because they are scared of a transparent review. We have no intention of harming farmers. On the contrary, our goal is to ensure that power subsidies reach the most deserving and that losses in the power sector are minimized without burdening the common taxpayer,” the Chief Minister said. He added that the government had already scheduled regional consultations but would not bow to “arm-twisting tactics” from the opposition.
History of Power Subsidy and Political Polarization
The debate over power subsidies has been a cornerstone of Telangana politics since the state’s formation in 2014. The BRS, under KCR’s leadership, introduced the “free power to farmers” scheme, which became a major electoral plank. However, the scheme has also led to mounting debts for state power distribution companies, which the Congress government now claims are unsustainable.
Political analysts suggest that the row over the proposed discom is part of a larger battle for the support of rural voters. Both parties are keenly aware that over 60% of Telangana’s population depends on agriculture. “The Congress wants to project itself as a fiscally responsible government, while the BRS wants to portray itself as the sole protector of farmer interests. This is going to be a recurring theme in the run-up to the next elections,” observed Dr. N. Ramakrishna, a political science professor at Osmania University.
What Next? ED Allegations Add Fuel to Fire
Adding to the political heat, Kavitha on Monday also accused the Congress government of using central agencies to target BRS leaders. She referenced the recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued to several party functionaries in connection with alleged irregularities in the power sector. “The Congress can send investigating agencies; they can hold sham hearings. But the farmers of Telangana will not be fooled. We will take this fight to every village,” she declared.
Meanwhile, the Congress has challenged the BRS to a debate on the floor of the Assembly, with Revanth Reddy stating, “If the BRS is genuinely concerned about farmers, they should come to the Assembly and not hold press conferences from their homes.”
As the war of words intensifies, the Telangana political landscape is bracing for a stormy summer, with the power sector emerging as the new battlefield between two arch-rivals—the Congress and the BRS.