Options before KCR on national political journey

KCR has begun a national political journey. No doubt, the world is busy watching the Ukraine war. But politics does no wait for anyone.  In the last three months, KCR met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin, Maharashtra Chief Minister Thackeray, Sharad  Pawar and others. KCR is in touch with Mamata Banerjee.  KCR has also opened a party office in Delhi and even suggested he will form a new party.   

In his 8^th year as chief Minister, KCR is running out of ideas for good governance. The defeat in Huzurbad by-election has given a great shock across India.  Aside from Rythu Bandhu, which is an original idea of KCR, all the others schemes are just the same across India. Giving something free has lost its novelty. The voters  want  everything free and also want a corruption-free good governance. Giving good governance demands a  great skill.

 The old romance between the Telangana voter and KCR  is gone.  The BJP is rising and  Congress refuses  to go away. As KCR’s popularity has declined, he wants to create new space by telling Telengana people that he will conquer national politics, if they support him. As KCR said openly, once he captures Delhi, the doors of the national budget will be thrown open to Telengana voters for them to take whatever they want. The question is whether Telengana voters are so innocent to believe such stories, that they can grab the national budget.

1. There is the impression being created in Telangana that KCR just by meeting some Opposition Chief Ministers, has achieved national leadership. That is far from the truth. Anyone  can meet a Chief Minister. If KCR is not the Chief Minister, then no one will take him seriously. The image being projected is that KCR has   conquered the Opposition, who have accepted his leadership and the Delhi Throne awaits him. Now only the ripe fruits of victory must be plucked in 2024?
2. KCR is also making sweet noises about the Congress Party and Rahul Gandhi. One can be sure that there will first be a public meeting with the Gandhis.  Definitely, it is good politics for KCR to patch up with the Congress. But the only question is whether KCR will be friends with Congress in Delhi or will he form an alliance in Telangana with Congress?
3. There is also the entry of Prashant Kishor. There is no doubt that Prashant Kishor has caused uneasiness and instability amongst the
4. TRS  MLAs and MPs, who may lose their seats after Kishor does the surveys. This is also a factor which will play in KCR’s national role.  Some will question KCR’s leadership and may rebel if they think they will be dropped.

Will KCR give up Chief Ministership to fight at national level?

1. The main question is whether KCR will devote all his time to national politics  and resign from  Chief Ministership of Telangana . Or, he will be a part-time national leader like the other Opposition Chief Ministers.  Does KCR have a qualified successor as Chief Minister? Maybe KCR has someone in mind to replace him. Who is the heir of KCR?

b. Actually, there is nothing much that KCR can add to national politics to fight Narendra Modi. What can KCR do in Bengal or Maharashtra? The place where KCR can do something is in Telengana and here he has problems, which entire Opposition knows. Or is all this just an excuse to resign and appoint someone else as Chief Minister?  Time will tell

c. If Prashant Kishor  insists that many Ministers be dropped, can KCR do it? Or can a new Chief Minister do it? Will Prashant Kishor suggest a  No-Repeat MLA candidates  like BJP did in Gujarat. There will be lot of political blood spilled. How will KCR control this anxiety? The un-easiness amongst TRS MLAs may create problems if KCR wants to replace them. MLAs may rebel in a group if they think they are going to be replaced.

Also read: KCR – man in a hurry on a national journey

Is there a secret script behind KCR going national?

Going to national politics will give KCR a good excuse to resign as chief minister and appoint someone else. KCR can say that he wants to devote fulltime to Delhi. It will appear true. But the real objective might be to get someone else as Chief Minister, even for a short time. Therefore, it might be that national politics is a good way to quit and hand over the job to someone else right away. What if KCR loses in 2023? Then that person will never become Chief Minister

On 10 March 2022, when the 5- State elections results are announced, we will know whether KCR will go national or stay in Hyderabad. If BJP does badly, KCR  will go to Delhi. But if BJP does well, then KCR may stay in Telangana.  

All this drama would have been unnecessary if KCR had studied how Naveen Patnaik has been Chief Minister for 25 years. Formula of Patnaik is to be less visible, less sound and fury and don’t have relatives around you. Naveen  Patnaik does not even speak Oriya language. Patnaik looks as fresh, as if he became chief Minister yesterday.  

If KCR goes national, who will replace him ?

That will be the most interesting question. If KCR makes a “great sacrifice” and resigns, then he can appoint someone as Chief Minister whom he wants.  The country will be watching, who will replace him. There are very many good Chief Ministerial candidates in TRS and also some who should not be Chief Ministers.

Also read: Ukraine still fighting?