HOUSE OF CARDS

Plagued by desertions, corruption allegations and a rudderless leadership, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi seems to be on the verge of collapse

- RAHUL DEVULAPALLI

The times are tough for K. Chandrashekar Rao, Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and former Telangana chief minister.

His daughter, K. Kavitha, is in Tihar Jail in Delhi for her alleged role in the Delhi liquor scam. KCR’s elder brother’s son Tejeshwar Rao is in Cherlapally Central Jail near Hyderabad after being arrested in a land-grabbing case. One of KCR’s favourite bureaucrats, former state intelligence chief Prabhakar Rao, is now the first accused in an illegal phone tapping case. He is believed to be in the US, and a red corner notice has been issued against him. Another accused in this case is Shravan Rao, owner of a Telugu news channel who is said to be close to the BRS. He has also fled the country. KCR’s closest nephew, Rajya Sabha member Santosh Kumar, has been booked for forgery and trespassing.

The Congress government in Telangana has initiated probes in more than half a dozen cases of corruption and irregularities when KCR was chief minister. A judicial investigation is on into the alleged construction-related lapses in the ₹1.47 lakh crore Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, which KCR had showcased as an engineering marvel. Senior Congress leaders hint that even KCR could face cases in the near future.