Has the long-standing tension within the BRS party between K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) and Harish Rao finally come to an end? Are the brothers-in-law now on the same page? Following a recent meeting with KTR, Harish Rao has maintained a reserved demeanor and remained silent on party developments, leading to speculation that some sort of compromise may have been reached between the two.
Initially, BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) entrusted Harish Rao with the responsibility of organizing the party’s 25th anniversary celebrations. However, for reasons unknown within the party and family, KTR later stepped in and took complete control — planning, coordinating, and executing the entire event. Observers believe KCR used this event to promote KTR as his political heir.
Reliable sources say Harish Rao, who has toiled for the party since its inception and earned a reputation as a troubleshooter, felt sidelined for not being given due importance. Reportedly, he changed his earlier decision of attending the event on foot, instead arriving by car — a move seen by insiders as symbolic of his displeasure. These developments have fueled analysis that a rift indeed existed between the two.
Even after Harish Rao publicly declared on May 13 — during a press meet at Telangana Bhavan — that he was ready to work under KTR’s leadership, the fact that KTR visited Harish Rao’s residence for lengthy discussions on May 16 and 17 suggests that not everything was smooth on the surface. While the official word was that they discussed party strengthening, analysts believe the actual conversation was much deeper.
According to close sources, during his discussion with KTR, Harish Rao expressed his dissatisfaction over being sidelined, reminding that he has stood by KCR since the party’s formation and worked loyally for its growth. He reportedly conveyed strongly that being humiliated despite his integrity and commitment was unacceptable and warned that he wouldn’t hesitate to take tough decisions if such incidents repeated.
Following this, sources suggest KTR agreed to restore Harish Rao’s importance in the party and assign him responsibilities equal to his own. Insiders from both camps claim that a truce was indeed struck between the two brothers-in-law. Reportedly, KTR agreed to entrust Harish Rao with the role of in-charge for the party’s frontal organizations and also offer another key post with state-level influence. It is believed that this decision will be made public only after a discussion with KCR.
Recently, after receiving notices related to the Kaleshwaram project, Harish Rao met KCR twice at his Erravelli farmhouse. It’s said the reconciliation with KTR came up in these discussions, during which KCR reportedly advised Harish not to rush into making it public and to continue coordinating with KTR for now.
In summary, while there appears to be a compromise between the two key leaders, it remains to be seen how this new understanding plays out within the BRS power dynamics.
