Kavitha Rules Out Return To BRS, Says Telangana Will Have A Woman Chief Minister | Exclusive

News india Kavitha Rules Out Return To BRS, Says Telangana Will Have A Woman Chief Minister | Exclusive

Last Updated:October 23, 2026, 12:15 IST

Kavitha accused the Revanth Reddy government of using Telangana's resources to fund the Congress's political activities, alleging that the state had become an “ATM” for the party

K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), has ruled out any rapprochement with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), accusing its leadership of ignoring corruption allegations and failing to address the concerns of party workers. Pitching her new political outfit, Telangana Rashtra Sena (TRS), as an alternative to the established parties, Kavitha said Telangana was ready for a woman chief minister.

In an interview with CNN-News18, Kavitha said her party would focus on what she described as the unfinished agenda of the Telangana statehood movement. Although the party was new, she said she had spent two decades working among people and fighting for their concerns. Kavitha also accused the Revanth Reddy government of using Telangana’s resources to fund the Congress’s political activities elsewhere in the country, alleging that the state had been turned into an “ATM" for the party.

“I don’t ever want to work with BRS ever again," Kavitha said, ruling out the possibility of returning to her father’s party.

Explaining her split from the BRS, she claimed she had repeatedly raised concerns about corruption and the treatment of party workers with the top leadership but that no action was taken. She described herself as a whistleblower who was eventually pushed out of the party.

Kavitha also criticised the Congress government in Telangana, alleging that it had failed to fulfil its promises to the people. She accused the BJP of pursuing a “divide and rule" strategy and argued that the state needed a strong regional party focused on public welfare.

‘Time for a woman chief minister’

Kavitha said the emergence of a new political force had unsettled the established parties. Referring to her decision to begin her campaign in chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s constituency, she said Telangana needed a woman at the helm.

“I believe it is time that Telangana has a woman Chief Minister," she said, adding that the BRS, BJP and Congress were all concerned about the emergence of a new challenger.

She also highlighted what she described as a shortage of women leaders at the highest levels of Indian politics. Referring to the Women’s Reservation Bill, Kavitha argued that the proposed 33 per cent reservation should be implemented without being linked to delimitation.

She alleged that linking the two issues could disadvantage southern states and delay women’s representation in legislatures. Kavitha said the reservation provision should be implemented before the next Lok Sabha election.

Free Healthcare And Education On Agenda

Identifying healthcare and education as her party’s principal priorities, Kavitha promised to work towards providing both free of cost. She argued that development should be measured by its impact on ordinary citizens rather than solely through infrastructure projects.

Questioning the affordability of Hyderabad’s public transport and private school education, she said governments needed to ensure that people could actually access the facilities being created. “Development in Hyderabad should be people-centric," she said, calling for regulation of school fees and greater access to healthcare.

Claims Political Legacy Will Depend On People

Asked whether she intended to reclaim her father’s political legacy, Kavitha said legacy could not be claimed by an individual but had to be bestowed by the people.

She maintained that her objective was to serve Telangana rather than establish herself as KCR’s political heir. Citing the state’s history of independent political choices, she expressed confidence that voters would support her new party.

Kavitha said her party would continue raising public grievances and pressuring the government to act, arguing that even one family benefiting from her intervention would make the effort worthwhile.

She asserted that both her brother and the chief minister were equally concerned about her political emergence, adding that a woman entering politics should keep established leaders on their toes.

About the Author

Aman Sharma

Aman Sharma, News Director at CNN-News18, has over two-and-a-half decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Minister’s Office. He has written widely on politics, el...Read More

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