Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 2 : The Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit on Tuesday ridiculed the latest episode in the never-ending soap opera of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), where family feuds now double as party discipline.
The suspension of K Kavitha -- MLC, daughter of party supremo K Chandrashekar Rao, and accused in the Delhi Excise Policy scam -- is just the newest act in this carefully-scripted melodrama, the party said in a release.
According to the release, BJP State Chief Spokesperson and Media In-charge, N V Subash, said the rift, which began as a family spat, has now spiralled into a full-blown political tamasha (drama).
"The moment Congress came back to power under Revanth Reddy, the script changed. Threats of prosecuting KCR and KTR in the phone-tapping case on one side, and Kavitha fanning the flames of discord within her own party on the other -- this is no less than a serial fit for prime time," he quipped.
Kavitha, once jailed and now out on bail in the multi-crore liquor scam, allegedly trained her guns at her father's own confidantes. The family feud got murkier when she even accused her cousin and former Irrigation Minister, T Harish Rao, of colluding with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and benefiting at KCR's expense.
"Did Harish Rao not play a major role in defaming KCR?" she asked, conveniently forgetting her own corruption-tainted baggage.
Subash noted the timing was no coincidence.
"The suspension drama unfolded just as the Congress government handed over the Kaleshwaram irregularities probe to the CBI. Clearly, BRS is trying to put on a show of 'discipline' to fool the public -- whether this act is real or just another stage performance will be known soon enough," he said.
As the BJP spokesperson remarked with irony, "In BRS, family fights, corruption charges, and disciplinary actions all run in parallel. The only suspense is whether the audience -- the people of Telangana -- are still buying tickets to this stale show."
Kavitha was suspended from the party with immediate effect on Tuesday for alleged "anti-party activities."
The decision was taken by BRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao, who said that her recent behaviour and actions were "damaging" the party's reputation.
In a post on X, the BRS stated, "The party leadership is taking this matter seriously as the recent behaviour and ongoing anti-party activities of party MLC Smt. K. Kavitha are damaging the BRS party. Party President Sri K. Chandrasekhar Rao has taken a decision to suspend Smt. K. Kavitha from the party with immediate effect."
Earlier on Monday, reacting to the Telangana government's decision to order a CBI probe into the Kaleshwaram project, Kavith alleged that any taint on KCR's image over the issue was due to BRS leaders Harish Rao and Santosh Rao. She accused them of conspiring against her and KCR.
"In the CBI probe, KCR will emerge spotless, like a pearl washed clean...If KCR's image is tainted in the Kaleshwaram issue, the reason is Harish Rao and Santosh Rao. Despite several conspiracies against me by them, I endured. Behind Harish and Santosh Rao, it is certainly Revanth Reddy. KCR is facing a CBI probe because of Harish Rao and Santosh Rao," Kavitha said.
Her allegations came after the Congress-led Telangana government decided to hand over the investigation into the alleged irregularities in the project to the CBI.