Congress Reviews Telangana Strategy Following 'Black Magic' Row
Congress reassesses its Telangana strategy amid political controversy.
The Telangana Congress is facing political and organisational pressure following a controversy over allegations of "kshudra pujas" and "black magic" involving senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader T Harish Rao. The allegations have triggered sharp exchanges between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS, with the dispute escalating into a legal confrontation involving notices issued to several Congress leaders.
Telangana Congress chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud, state media and communication chairman Sama Ramamohan Reddy and MLC Addanki Dayakar have accused Harish Rao of visiting religious places and allegedly performing tantric rituals with the intention of harming Telangana and the Congress government. Ramamohan Reddy alleged that Harish Rao had travelled to Tiruchirappalli and Shivamogga for such activities and publicly questioned the purpose of the visits.
Harish Rao has rejected the allegations and responded by issuing legal notices to Mahesh Kumar Goud, Ramamohan Reddy and Dayakar. Through his lawyer, Harish Rao has sought unconditional apologies and the withdrawal of the statements. The notices also warned that civil and criminal defamation proceedings could be initiated if the allegations were not withdrawn, adding a legal dimension to the political dispute.
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The BRS has also criticised the Congress over the controversy. BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan accused the ruling party of portraying traditional Hindu religious practices as "kshudra pujas" and argued that political parties should focus on governance and policy debates rather than religious practices. The exchange has widened the controversy beyond the allegations themselves and placed the Congress's public messaging under greater scrutiny.
Amid the political row, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on August 6 appointed Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy as the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's State Chairperson of the Media and Publicity Department with immediate effect. The organisational change has prompted political discussion within the state unit, with attention focused on the party's communication strategy and coordination among its leaders.
The controversy has put the Telangana Congress under pressure to maintain greater discipline and consistency in public statements, particularly when allegations could lead to legal action. The coming days are expected to indicate whether the party takes any disciplinary or organisational measures involving leaders associated with the dispute as it seeks to contain the political fallout.
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