The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), led by former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, which rebranded itself as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in October 2022, came to power in the newly-formed Telangana state in 2014 by effectively leveraging the Telangana sentiment.
During the Telangana movement, KCR used derogatory language against the people of Andhra Pradesh, likening them to demons born in Sri Lanka; mocking their food habits by referring to "Penda Biryani" (biryani made of buffalo dung); and portraying them as exploiters who should be expelled from Telangana.
His son and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao also displayed disdain towards the Andhra people when it served his political interests. However, in reality, he was surrounded by prominent industrialists, real estate magnates, and business leaders — all hailing from Andhra — as they were his financial backers.
The KCR family took the support of the Telangana people for granted and consistently catered to the interests of Andhra businessmen and industrialists in pursuit of financial gains.
However, following the electoral setback suffered by the BRS in the last assembly elections, KCR and KTR began to display contempt towards the Telangana populace and made disparaging remarks against them, labeling them as foolish for rejecting a beneficial cow and opting for a less advantageous buffalo in the recent elections.
KTR's disdain for the people of Telangana was apparent from his remarks during an interview on the TV9 channel's "Crossfire" program aired on Friday night.
Referring to the BRS's defeat in the recent Telangana elections, he suggested that the people of Telangana lacked the wisdom to make sound decisions.
"In Hyderabad, which is predominantly populated by Andhra voters, the Congress party failed to secure even a single seat. The Andhra voters know what they want and thus voted for the BRS. They are undoubtedly more knowledgeable and intelligent than the voters of Telangana and are capable of making the right choices," he remarked.
Asked about the upcoming assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and his predictions for the outcome, KTR expressed that it seemed to be a closely contested battle, and he refrained from making any forecasts.
"I do not have voting rights in Andhra Pradesh. However, I believe the people of Andhra Pradesh are wise and will make informed decisions," he stated.
He mentioned having amicable relations with leaders from all parties in Andhra Pradesh. While he considered Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as a brother, he regarded Lokesh as a good friend, and the same applied to Pawan Kalyan. He also acknowledged TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu as a senior politician.
"Regardless of the election outcome, I hope the new government will work for the welfare of the people of Andhra Pradesh," he concluded.
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