K Kavitha to YS Sharmila: Daughters of two CMs take Telangana politics by storm

Hyderabad: It's a tale of two women. Daughters of the present Chief Minister of Telangana and another former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh are taking the politics by storm. While YS Sharmila, daughter of former AP Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy is aiming to get a foothold in Telangana with a fledgling political party, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister, is in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Both are aggressive in achieving their political goals and have successfully garnered public and media attention not only in Telangana but also in the country.

Kalvakuntla Kavitha, MLC from Nizamabad and former MP, is facing CBI-Enforcement Directorate heat in the alleged Delhi Excise policy scam. Kavitha, who played an active role in the Telangana movement and was very active through her non-political outfit `Jagruthi organization' promoting art and culture, figured in the excise scam and was grilled by CBI.

Though she vehemently denies any role, CBI served her a notice under section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and interrogated her at her residence in Hyderabad. It was based on a complaint from Praveen Kumar Rai, Director of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, against Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 14 others in the Delhi liquor policy scam. Her name figured in the remand report filed by ED in a Delhi Court against businessman Amit Arora in the liquor scam.

The allegation is that businessman Vijay Nair received kickbacks of Rs 100 crore from "Southern Group". Kavitha, Sharath Reddy (Aurobindo Pharma), and Srinivasulu Reddy (YSRCP MP Andhra Pradesh) have been linked to the group. The issue triggered a war of words between ruling TRS/BRS leaders in Telangana and the BJP.

TRS leaders allege that the cases were politically motivated and aimed to harass Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his family members ahead of next year's poll.

KCR, who changed his party's name from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), is eyeing a bigger role in national politics. He is also aiming for a third term in Telangana. Rumors are agog that he may hand over CM gaddhi to son and IT, Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao soon. Kavitha, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Nizamabad, became MLC. She continues to strive for a bigger role in state politics.

Like Kavitha, another TRS leader and Labour Minister Chamakura Malla Reddy too is under Income Tax scanner. Sleuths of IT raided his engineering and medical colleges in Hyderabad, over alleged hoarding of black money. Rumors are agog that more TRS leaders are on the Income Tax hit list. TRS leaders claim that even before the CBI-ED interrogation, BJP was selectively leaking information against its political rivals. "I have no role in the scam and I am ready to face any inquiry," asserted Kavitha.

But Kavitha is more in the eye of the storm since she happens to be the daughter of the Chief Minister. One has to wait and see if she comes out unscathed from the CBI-ED net or goes to jail as predicted by BJP State president Bandi Sanjay! Labeled as Andhrite, YS Sharmila, president of YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) is the latest sensation in Telangana politics.

Being the daughter of the former popular Chief Minister of undivided AP, YS Rajasekhar Reddy, Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, is trying her political fortunes in Telangana State.

Speculations are rife that she has set eyes on Telangana following differences with her brother Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. She is backed by her mother for the political churning. However, her rivals allege that she was a "plant" of the BJP against TRS.

Sharmila, known for her long padayatras with her brother and later for her party in Telangana, denies both accusations. "I thank all party supporters who stood by me. This child of Rajasekhar Reddy will never forget it. KCR thinks he can frighten us with force. We will stand our ground," she said in a statement from the hospital.

She undertook a 3500 km padayatra in Telangana and was able to get public attention, more so after government action against her. "I undertook padayatra for people's sake. I tried to highlight issues like the government's failure farm loan waiver, failure to provide promised double bedrooms, etc. I am talking about corruption. Why should KCR be scared," she asked.

"Since we are turning out to be an alternative to KCR, he understood it and tried to cordon off us. I have no personal agenda. Let there be inquiry against corrupt TRS MLAs and others whom I have named. I also am ready for any inquiry by a sitting judge. It is public opinion and not my personal opinion. KCR kicked out Telanaga movement veterans," she said. Silencing her critics, she said she grew up here and was married here. "I gave birth to children here. My past and present are here. I am living here. YSR Telangana party is born here. How can I be an outsider or non-local? Telangana is my land and I want to serve the Telangana people. I am the only woman standing for people and public issues. We are the only ones trying to expose the ruling government. We are the only party to highlight KCR's corruption," she said.

Let's see if the two women create a niche for themselves in the male-dominated arena.