Ever since Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana Jagruthi founder-president Kalvakuntla Kavitha raised a banner of revolt against her brother and BRS working president K T Rama Rao — albeit indirectly — people have begun comparing her with the current Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, Y S Sharmila.
Sharmila, too, revolted against her brother and YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy nearly four years ago.
While property disputes with Jagan were the primary reason, Sharmila was also keen to play a key political role and wanted a share of power.
She believed that, having managed party affairs during Jagan’s imprisonment and campaigned extensively in the 2014 and 2019 elections, she deserved an official role in the party. However, Jagan rejected her requests, as he didn’t want another power center within the YSRCP.
As a result, Sharmila launched her own party in Telangana to try her political luck.
When she realized she lacked public support, she joined the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh and actively campaigned against her brother in the 2024 elections — effectively ending their sibling relationship.
Now, Kavitha appears to be on a similar path. Though there’s no known property dispute with KTR, she believes she deserves a stronger position within the BRS, given her prominent role in the Telangana movement and elections.
Like Jagan, KTR seems unwilling to promote his sister’s political ambitions as he prepares to take over the party and possibly the state leadership in the next elections.
As a result, Kavitha is being sidelined, and the BRS leadership appears united against her. However, she has not backed down and continues to assert her rightful claim.
Adding to the similarities with Sharmila, Kavitha recently gave a sensational podcast interview to TV5 CEO Murthy. This raised eyebrows, as TV5 is known for its anti-BRS stance.
Nevertheless, Kavitha chose this platform to openly share her views and express her ambition to succeed her father in the BRS and become the next chief minister.
Interestingly, Sharmila also chose a prominent platform for her initial outburst — an interview with ABN-Andhra Jyothy MD Vemuri Radhakrishna. That interview first exposed the internal family feud within the YSR family.
While Sharmila went on to form her own party and later merged it with the Congress, Kavitha maintains that she has no plans to leave the BRS or start a new party. However, what course of action she might take if suspended from the BRS remains uncertain.
