Has KCR Run Out of Ideas?

(Dr Pentapati Pullarao)

KCR has begun a national political journey. No doubt, the world is busy watching the Ukraine war. But politics does not wait for anyone.  In last 3 months, KCR met  Tamilnadu 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 the 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 novelty. The voters want everything free and also want corruption-free good governance. Giving good governance is 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 Telangana 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 Telangana 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 will 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 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 introduced un-easiness and in-stability amongst the  MLAs and MPs, who may lose their seats after Kishor does  This is also a factor that will play in KCR’s national role.  Some will question KCR’s leadership and ma6y rebel if they think they will be dropped.

Will KCR give up Chief Ministership to fight nationally?

1. The main question is whether KCR will devote all his time to national politics and resign from the 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?

1. 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 Telangana and here he has problems, which the entire Opposition knows.   Or is all this just an excuse to resign and appoint someone else as Chief Minister?  Time will tell
2. 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 No-Repeat MLA candidates like BJP did in Gujarat? There will be a lot of political blood split. How will KCR control this anxiety? The un-easiness amongst TRS MLAs may create problems if KCR  wants to replace himself. MLAs may rebel in a group if they think they are going to be replaced.

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 himself full-time to Delhi. It will look 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 March 10, 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. The formula of Patnaik is less visible, less sound and fury, and don’t have relatives around you. Naveen  Patnaik does not even speak the 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 Minister candidates in TRS and also some who should not be Chief Ministers.

(Dr Pentapati Pullarao is a New Delhi based economist and  political commentator)