Hyderabad: K. Kavitha, the daughter of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), has praised the Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration on social media as “a blessed event that will fulfill the wishes of millions of Hindus”— a post that has has created a buzz in Telangana political circles.
“Subha parinaamam (propitious outcome). The installation of Sri Sita Ramachandra Swami in Ayodhya. These auspicious moments, when the dreams of millions of Hindus will come true, should be welcomed, cherished by everyone in the country, including Telangana. Jai Sitaram,” Kavitha tweeted Sunday, along with a video of the Ayodhya Ram temple.
శుభ పరిణామం..
అయోధ్యలో శ్రీ సీతారామ చంద్ర స్వామి వారి ప్రతిష్ట,
కోట్లాది హిందువుల కల నిజం కాబోతున్న శుభ సమయంలో…
తెలంగాణతో పాటు దేశ ప్రజలందరూ స్వాగతించాల్సిన శుభ ఘడియలు..
జై సీతారామ్ pic.twitter.com/qzH7M32cQJ
— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) December 10, 2023
Political analysts point to Kavitha’s post as the first endorsement of the BJP-backed Ram temple issue by a top BRS leader, and the “BRS leadership’s bid to ease their stance against the BJP after the Congress’ win.” The BJP, meanwhile, has welcomed Kavitha’s statement, saying “her eyes have opened at least now.”
Kavitha’s latest opinion endorsing the grand Ayodhya temple construction and Lord Rama idol consecration comes days after her father was dethroned by the Congress in the assembly polls. Telangana saw a change of power as the Congress won 64 out of 119 seats in the assembly.
The pran-pratishta (consecration) of Lord Rama’s idol is slated 22 January with PM Narendra Modi invited to participate in the installation rituals in the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). The event is taking place just three months ahead of the general elections, where the Modi-led BJP is vying for a hat-trick term at the Centre.
When ThePrint reached Kavitha over the phone to ask her for the reason behind the move, she said, “Cannot talk on the matter now. I am in the hospital with KCR.” The report will be updated once a response is received.
The former CM is recuperating at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad after a hip replacement surgery Friday. KCR had suffered a hip fracture caused by a slip and fall in his Erravalli farmhouse bathroom last week. He moved to his famed farmhouse in his constituency Gajwel immediately after the poll results.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, keeping aside the political rancour, visited KCR at the hospital and wished his predecessor a speedy recovery and assured all possible help from his government.
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Kavitha’s U-turn welcomed
While Kavitha’s post was trending Sunday, an old clip of her earlier stand on the matter surfaced on the social media. There she had opined that “BJP rakes up the temple issue whenever elections are due.”
“Ram mandir has been reduced to an election issue and exploited awfully. The BJP especially cheated god, claiming they would build the temple. Whenever elections are due, the temple issue comes into the picture,” Kavitha had said in January 2019, when she was the Nizamabad MP. “I request the people of the country to grow beyond this Mandir-Masjid politics,” she added, responding to public queries on #AskMPKavitha — a live ‘Twitter’ session.
Welcoming Kavitha’s stand, Telangana BJP spokesperson N.V. Subhash told ThePrint Monday, “Glad to know that Kavitha has come to know the immeasurable value the Hindus accord to Lord Rama in their hearts and lives. The BJP has committed and has fulfilled its promise to the nation.”
“She might be putting out some feelers for us,” a BJP leader quipped.
Political implications
The political observers ThePrint spoke to also saw Kavitha’s post as a significant development — especially in the months ahead of the general polls and following the BRS’s loss in the state elections.
Bhandaru Srinivasa Rao, a political analyst, told ThePrint that Kavitha’s post, coming days after the party’s poll defeat, “indicates the BRS leadership’s intent to soften their stand against the BJP.”
“They might like the political rivalry to whittle down, for the time being, given that the Congress is a bigger enemy for both. The Ayodhya temple consecration serves as a good pretext,” Rao added.
Another Hyderabad-based political commentator Papa Rao saw a link to the Delhi excise policy probe and the BJP’s sustained line, including that of Modi in Telangana, that the corrupt would face action.
“Don’t know what exactly made her turn around on the matter. One probable reason could be the Delhi excise scam in which she faced the probe of central agencies,” said Papa Rao.
Kavitha was questioned by the CBI and the ED over her alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy scam, but contrary to several top Telangana BJP leaders’ claims, she was not arrested.
The non-action was one among the reasons, observers said, that has contributed to the BJP’s poll prospects decline here.
During the Telangana polls, KCR, while reaching out to the Muslims, had targeted both the BJP and the Congress.
“Under whose watch the Babri Masjid was demolished? If you are secular, your deeds should reflect it,” KCR questioned the Congress leaders last month in Nizamabad.
“There is a fanatic party, which keeps thinking of digging up masjids, dargahs to stoke (communal) fires,” KCR thundered in a veiled attack on the BJP in rallies in assembly segments near to Hyderabad on the penultimate day of campaign.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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