No entry for KCR family in Congress, says Telangana CM Revanth Reddy amid BRS infighting

New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday categorically ruled out the Congress admitting any member of BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao's family into the party, calling them "enemies of the state", as internal rifts in the KCR family play out in public.

"No entry for KCR family members into Congress. Till Revanth Reddy is there, they will not be allowed. They have no place in the party," the chief minister told reporters here.

Reddy's statement comes against the backdrop of a deepening strife in the KCR family that has spilled over into the political arena, triggering unrest in the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) which was ousted from power in the state in December 2023 after a 10-year rule.

KCR's daughter K Kavita has expressed political ambitions and raised concerns about social justice and internal party dynamics, exposing fissures in the BRS' first family.

Dismissing the family rift, Reddy described it as a desperate attempt to remain relevant in state politics.

"The KCR family rift is nothing but an effort to grab public attention with the party losing its relevance in the state," he said, drawing a parallel with the Telugu movie 'Assembly Rowdy' to illustrate the situation.

The chief minister also trained his guns on the state BJP president, G Kishan Reddy, accusing him of failing to secure central funds for Telangana's development despite being a Union minister in the Modi cabinet twice.

"Kishan Reddy has been a Union minister twice in the Modi cabinet, but he never made representations at the Centre for the welfare of the people of the state. He never applied his wisdom and tried to get funds from the Centre for the state," Reddy charged.

The chief minister further alleged that the Union minister had not even reviewed pending state projects at the Centre, either with the state government or with MPs representing Telangana.

Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pralhad Joshi ensure metro development in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but Kishan Reddy is opposing the metro project, he alleged.

"There are several central projects that require the Union government's approval. I have to come every time to persuade them for early clearance," he added.

Reddy was speaking to the media as he concluded his three-day visit to the national capital.

Sources said Reddy has discussed with the Congress high command matters related to the allocation of portfolios to the newly inducted ministers in the cabinet.

On Sunday, three new ministers were inducted into the Telangana cabinet, but portfolios have not been allocated to them yet.