K Chandrashekar Rao.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: Nearly 18 months after Lok Sabha polls, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) is preparing to return to the streets, building mass public movements against the Congress government in Telangana.
Known for leading the agitation that secured separate statehood for Telangana, KCR now plans to mobilise people around issues of river water allocation and irrigation projects.
Since losing power in the 2023 Assembly elections, KCR has largely remained at his Yerravelli farmhouse, stepping out briefly during the Lok Sabha campaign before retreating again into relative seclusion and meeting party leaders now and then at his Yerravelli residence. BRS, however, failed to secure even a single seat in the parliamentary polls.
KCR has now convened a crucial meeting of the party’s legislature wing and state executive on December 19 at Telangana Bhavan to chalk out an agitation strategy. The agenda includes demanding equitable sharing of river waters, expediting major irrigation projects, especially the Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project, and opposing the alleged diversion of Krishna and Godavari waters by Andhra Pradesh.
Party sources said the meeting would focus on what BRS terms the Congress government’s “negligence” in completing key irrigation projects initiated during its decade-long rule. “There is serious concern over the Congress government’s failure to stop Andhra Pradesh from diverting and exploiting Krishna and Godavari waters, which is directly harming Telangana’s interests. The party believes a new public movement has become inevitable to safeguard the irrigation rights of Telangana’s farmers,” a senior BRS leader said.
The leader claimed the previous BRS government had secured 91 TMC of Krishna water for the Palamuru–Rangareddy project, but the current government was now requesting just 45 TMC from the Centre a move the party describes as deeply alarming.
“The Irrigation Minister, Uttam Kumar Reddy, accepting 45 TMC is a betrayal of Telangana’s farmers. Despite having eight BJP MPs from the state, none have raised their voice to defend Telangana’s irrigation rights. The BJP’s silence, both in Delhi and Telangana, shows its indifference to farmers’ suffering,” the leader added.
Another senior BRS functionary argued that with the Centre allegedly supporting Andhra Pradesh’s water diversion “under the guise of river-linking projects,” mass struggles were the only way forward.
“Had the BRS remained in power, water would already have reached fields under the Palamuru project, benefiting Palamuru, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda regions. The Congress government’s apathy has stalled progress, causing severe losses to farmers. Telangana society can no longer stay silent,” the leader said.
The December 19 meeting is also expected to discuss organisational issues and broader political strategies. Key decisions will likely be taken on the structure and rollout of upcoming public movements.