K Kavitha's rising star: AIFB's surprise sweep in Telangana Municipal Polls
Telangana elections results: In a stunning upset in Jogulamba Gadwal district's Vaddepalli municipality, the All India Forward Bloc captured 8 out of 10 seats, relegating Congress and BRS to a single seat apiece.
K Chandrashekar Rao's (KCR) daughter, K Kavitha, has scripted a stunning underdog tale in Telangana's municipal elections, propelling the fringe All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) to a dominant victory in Vaddepalli municipality while signalling her imminent political comeback. Backing All India Forward Bloc candidates under her yet-to-launch Telangana Jagruthi banner, Kavitha orchestrated wins in key areas, defying the odds against giants like Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) amid a charged local contest. Her strategic maneuvers underscore a brewing family rift with BRS and a fierce push for Backward Classes (BC) advocacy, positioning her as a formidable new force.
AIFB's clean sweep in Vaddepalli
In a jaw-dropping outcome from Jogulamba Gadwal district's Vaddepalli municipality, AIFB clinched 8 of 10 seats, leaving Congress and BRS with a solitary seat each. Kavitha's pre-poll endorsement proved decisive, as Telangana Jagruthi-affiliated contenders flew the AIFB flag since her outfit lacks formal party status. This upset unfolded in Gadwal constituency, represented by BRS-defector-turned-Congress MLA Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy- whose loyalty remains contested by the Assembly Speaker- and overlapping BJP heavyweight DK Aruna's turf, amplifying the shock value of Kavitha's grassroots breakthrough.
Party launch teased amid BRS barbs
Fresh off her 2025 BRS suspension for anti-party moves, former MP Kavitha declared Telangana Jagruthi will debut as a full-fledged party within three months, timed to an auspicious "mahuratam." She slammed BRS for insincerity on BC reservations, spotlighting their nomination of B. Madhav Reddy- who petitioned against 42% BC quota- in municipal races, despite KT Rama Rao's (KTR) blind-vote appeal. Kavitha mocked Reddy's shift from her group to "Reddy Jagruthi," accusing BRS of hypocrisy. In Sircilla- KTR's stronghold- 16 BRS leaders reportedly sought her tickets, hinting at defections.
Family feud and political potshots
Kavitha alleged KTR and T Harish Rao cherry-pick campaign spots clashing with her candidates, exposing BRS fractures. She blasted CM A Revanth Reddy for hurling abuses at KCR, claiming it masks political weakness, and vowed no force can erase KCR's Telangana legacy. Dismissing the phone-tapping probe as an endless "TV serial," she questioned Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar's rejection of disqualification pleas against eight BRS defectors to Congress, citing Arekapudi Gandhi's elevation as Nizamabad polls in-charge despite his BRS tag.
Telangana Jagruthi's broader mobilisation
Kavitha announced a February 12 Hyderabad rally honoring Telangana martyrs, blending nostalgia with her BC-focused agenda. Her Vaddepalli triumph and Sircilla buzz signal eroding BRS loyalty, especially post her Delhi liquor scam woes and family schism. As Telangana Jagruthi formalises, Kavitha's blend of regional pride, quota crusading and poll savvy could disrupt the state's bipolar Congress-BRS duopoly.