The internal rift within the family of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao resurfaced with the abrupt removal of his daughter and MLC, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, from the post of president of the Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS), the trade union affiliated with the BRS in Singareni Collieries.
The decision was taken at a meeting held at the BRS central office in Hyderabad on Wednesday, where former minister Koppula Eshwar was appointed as her replacement. In protest, several of Kavitha’s supporters resigned from their positions in the union.
Kavitha, who is currently in the US, expressed deep anguish over being removed unceremoniously.
In an open letter addressed to coal mine workers across the four erstwhile districts of Telangana, she voiced her disappointment with the developments in TBGKS.
She recalled her decade-long tenure as the honorary president, calling it a privilege to serve workers and their families “as a sister.”
While she congratulated Koppula Eshwar, she criticized the move as politically motivated and alleged that the election was conducted in violation of labour laws.
Kavitha reminded workers that in August 2015, at a general body meeting in Kothagudem attended by more than 1,000 members from 11 areas, she was unanimously elected honorary president, and a resolution was passed granting her decision-making authority in union affairs.
Highlighting her contributions, she said she had convinced KCR to reinstate dependent employment in Singareni on compassionate grounds, benefiting 19,463 youth.
She also listed welfare measures she had secured for workers, including the Telangana increment for miners after state formation, housing loan interest reimbursement beyond â¹10 lakh, free electricity and air-conditioning for quarters, a tenfold increase in matching grants, fee reimbursement for children admitted to premier institutes like IITs and IIMs, and extension of corporate medical services to workers’ parents.
Kavitha alleged that certain individuals within the party were conspiring against her and trying to undermine the unity of coal miners.
She also recalled previous instances, including a letter she had written to her father during an earlier US trip, which was leaked to the media, further fueling internal disputes.
Despite being stripped of her honorary post, Kavitha reassured workers of her continued support.
“I will always stand by you. I will remain a part of every worker’s family and continue to fight for your welfare, just as I have done over the past decade,” she asserted.