Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president and former Telangana minister K T Rama Rao’s attempt to turn the tables on the Congress by inviting chief minister A Revanth Reddy to Hyderabad Press Club for a debate on the farmers’ welfare seems to have backfired.
Knowing fully well that Revanth Reddy is in New Delhi, KTR led a batch of BRS leaders to the Press Club on Tuesday to put up a show and later claimed that the chief minister had run away to the national capital only because he had no guts to face him in the debate.
Unfortunately, KTR’s dramatics had no takers and even media persons, except of course those who are toeing the BRS line, wondered what KTR wanted to achieve with such tactics.
“It appears KTR is setting bizarre trends in politics that makes no sense,” an analyst commented.
There is a talk that KTR was not happy with the way his cousin T Harish Rao was hogging the media limelight in Telangana when he was away in his London tour. Harish Rao was the only BRS leader in the news in the last two weeks.
So, immediately after returning from abroad, KTR was desperate to prove his leadership. So, he aggressively picked up an issue, seemingly aiming to outshine Harish Rao or to grab political attention.
But KTR’s attempt has backfired. In fact, Revanth Reddy openly stated that whether it is in the assembly or Parliament — whether it’s KCR, KTR, Kishan Reddy, or Modi — he is ready for discussions on farmer welfare schemes.
Revanth Reddy taunted KCR, saying he’s no longer relevant in public life and cannot even play the role of an effective opposition leader. He challenged KCR for a debate in the assembly on “who truly represents farmers.”
But KTR theatrically marched with hundreds towards the Press Club, challenging, “Come, let’s debate.” This is what people call “strange new trends.”
Revanth’s challenge wasn’t about sitting down for a discussion at the Press Club; it was about a debate in the assembly, where elected representatives debate with due decorum.
The assembly has its own sanctity. While Press Club debates are fine, KTR’s approach of storming in with crowds is not how things are done.
Moreover, there is a standard process for debates at the Press Club — planning, inviting journalists, setting an agenda — not barging in with a crowd.
Ironically, the promises KTR once made to the Press Club remain unfulfilled. “Perhaps he has forgotten,” the analyst said.
