<p>Former MLC and Telangana Jagruthi founder K Kavitha, suspended from the BRS founded by her father and Telangana patriarch K Chandrashekar Rao, is now gearing up to launch a new political party. Fresh from her acquittal by a trial court in the Delhi excise policy scam case and receiving a steady stream of visitors offering congratulations, Kavitha spoke to <em>DH</em> about how the Rouse Avenue court’s verdict exposes the misuse of State agencies. Excerpts:</p>.<p><strong>What is your reaction to the Delhi court’s verdict on the excise policy case?</strong></p>.<p>The verdict has fully exposed the victimisation and political motivation behind this false case. We have said from the beginning that we had nothing to do with it. We are clean, and the court’s judgment has reinforced that. Moreover, the court’s comments on certain matters are revealing. It exposes how agencies were misused, especially regarding regionalism. How can you label someone from a “south group”, club people together, and attribute wrongdoing based on who they are rather than on what they’ve done wrong? Another statement is that you may curtail a person’s freedom, but how will you give it back once proven wrong? That’s what happened to me. My teenage child was writing board exams when I was sent to jail; that time cannot be brought back. The stress my son, my family, and I endured, plus the damage to reputation over four years, was horrible for a woman. The online harassment peaked in my case.</p>.<p><strong>You also spoke about the misuse of agencies by governments.</strong></p>.<p>One hundred percent. I believe it is the first time in history where the court ordered a probe into one investigating officer—I gathered this from newspapers, as I haven’t read the full judgment yet. That shows how the judiciary sliced through the web of lies, getting to the bottom of the issue. They refused to frame charges based on mere allegations, deeming them baseless without concrete logic—nothing but a political vendetta. The court has established this fact, and I’m happy to be out peacefully.</p>.<p><strong>Going forward, what are your plans?</strong></p>.<p>We will launch a political party in the next two months—a regional, Telangana-focused party. I will work to restore people’s faith in the Telangana cause and identity. In the last 12 years, that faith has faded. BRS ignored those who fought for the state; Congress welcomed everyone else but sidelined Telangana’s people, identity, and culture, which we fought for all those years. My party’s motherboard will be Telangana; the rest will follow.</p>.<p><strong>When you say the last 10 years, that includes BRS (or TRS) rule under your father, K Chandrashekar Rao. Are you saying BRS, too, failed in restoring the Telangana spirit or culture?</strong></p>.<p>See, I was part of BRS for 10 years but expelled in the last eight months. In my Janambata tour of Telangana during my suspension, I first apologised to families of Telangana martyrs and those who fought for the state. Despite being in a party that fought for Telangana, I couldn’t do much, but I will now. I stand by that. I take my share of responsibility in the party’s negativities, no doubt. Now, after 12 years, going to people previously confined to Nizamabad by protocol, strategy, or design, I’ve visited Adilabad and the poorest areas like Achampet and Mahbubnagar. No change since the days of the agitation: the same villages, the same situations. Over the past 12 years, BRS failed them; Congress is failing them now. Someone must voice it and fight, and I am taking that forward, hoping for people’s support.</p>.<p><strong>Can you replace the BRS as opposition? With the BJP, BRS, and ruling Congress already there, is there space?</strong></p>.<p>The BJP and BRS failed to expose Congress’ failures, so Congress won municipalities despite doing nothing, not even providing uninterrupted power. Why did urban voters choose Congress? No opposition stood tall calling out failures. We aim to play that role now and hope to come to power after elections. Whom am I fighting? BRS, Congress, BJP – everybody. No allies now. My primary interest is Telangana’s people. Congress did nothing for Telangana; the BJP did nothing; the BRS tried but failed in core areas – Neelu (water), Nidhulu (budget), and Niyamakalu (jobs) – that we fought for. Fail there, and what’s left? That’s what my village travels reveal. Meagre changes in most places, nothing in many after 12 years.</p>.<p><strong>You’re compared to Y S Sharmila, who folded her party in Telangana...</strong></p>.<p>It’s sad a woman launching a party gets compared to another woman who did. But many men launched and failed, like Devender Goud, Chiranjeevi, Indra Reddy, Chenna Reddy, and hundreds more. It’s unfair to compare. Our histories are different. I’m not Sharmila; she’s not me. I’m like KCR. Compare me to him; he floated a party and succeeded. Why not think I can too? It may take time, but you can’t compare apples and oranges.</p>
<p>Former MLC and Telangana Jagruthi founder K Kavitha, suspended from the BRS founded by her father and Telangana patriarch K Chandrashekar Rao, is now gearing up to launch a new political party. Fresh from her acquittal by a trial court in the Delhi excise policy scam case and receiving a steady stream of visitors offering congratulations, Kavitha spoke to <em>DH</em> about how the Rouse Avenue court’s verdict exposes the misuse of State agencies. Excerpts:</p>.<p><strong>What is your reaction to the Delhi court’s verdict on the excise policy case?</strong></p>.<p>The verdict has fully exposed the victimisation and political motivation behind this false case. We have said from the beginning that we had nothing to do with it. We are clean, and the court’s judgment has reinforced that. Moreover, the court’s comments on certain matters are revealing. It exposes how agencies were misused, especially regarding regionalism. How can you label someone from a “south group”, club people together, and attribute wrongdoing based on who they are rather than on what they’ve done wrong? Another statement is that you may curtail a person’s freedom, but how will you give it back once proven wrong? That’s what happened to me. My teenage child was writing board exams when I was sent to jail; that time cannot be brought back. The stress my son, my family, and I endured, plus the damage to reputation over four years, was horrible for a woman. The online harassment peaked in my case.</p>.<p><strong>You also spoke about the misuse of agencies by governments.</strong></p>.<p>One hundred percent. I believe it is the first time in history where the court ordered a probe into one investigating officer—I gathered this from newspapers, as I haven’t read the full judgment yet. That shows how the judiciary sliced through the web of lies, getting to the bottom of the issue. They refused to frame charges based on mere allegations, deeming them baseless without concrete logic—nothing but a political vendetta. The court has established this fact, and I’m happy to be out peacefully.</p>.<p><strong>Going forward, what are your plans?</strong></p>.<p>We will launch a political party in the next two months—a regional, Telangana-focused party. I will work to restore people’s faith in the Telangana cause and identity. In the last 12 years, that faith has faded. BRS ignored those who fought for the state; Congress welcomed everyone else but sidelined Telangana’s people, identity, and culture, which we fought for all those years. My party’s motherboard will be Telangana; the rest will follow.</p>.<p><strong>When you say the last 10 years, that includes BRS (or TRS) rule under your father, K Chandrashekar Rao. Are you saying BRS, too, failed in restoring the Telangana spirit or culture?</strong></p>.<p>See, I was part of BRS for 10 years but expelled in the last eight months. In my Janambata tour of Telangana during my suspension, I first apologised to families of Telangana martyrs and those who fought for the state. Despite being in a party that fought for Telangana, I couldn’t do much, but I will now. I stand by that. I take my share of responsibility in the party’s negativities, no doubt. Now, after 12 years, going to people previously confined to Nizamabad by protocol, strategy, or design, I’ve visited Adilabad and the poorest areas like Achampet and Mahbubnagar. No change since the days of the agitation: the same villages, the same situations. Over the past 12 years, BRS failed them; Congress is failing them now. Someone must voice it and fight, and I am taking that forward, hoping for people’s support.</p>.<p><strong>Can you replace the BRS as opposition? With the BJP, BRS, and ruling Congress already there, is there space?</strong></p>.<p>The BJP and BRS failed to expose Congress’ failures, so Congress won municipalities despite doing nothing, not even providing uninterrupted power. Why did urban voters choose Congress? No opposition stood tall calling out failures. We aim to play that role now and hope to come to power after elections. Whom am I fighting? BRS, Congress, BJP – everybody. No allies now. My primary interest is Telangana’s people. Congress did nothing for Telangana; the BJP did nothing; the BRS tried but failed in core areas – Neelu (water), Nidhulu (budget), and Niyamakalu (jobs) – that we fought for. Fail there, and what’s left? That’s what my village travels reveal. Meagre changes in most places, nothing in many after 12 years.</p>.<p><strong>You’re compared to Y S Sharmila, who folded her party in Telangana...</strong></p>.<p>It’s sad a woman launching a party gets compared to another woman who did. But many men launched and failed, like Devender Goud, Chiranjeevi, Indra Reddy, Chenna Reddy, and hundreds more. It’s unfair to compare. Our histories are different. I’m not Sharmila; she’s not me. I’m like KCR. Compare me to him; he floated a party and succeeded. Why not think I can too? It may take time, but you can’t compare apples and oranges.</p>