K. Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR, is an Indian politician and the founder of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party. He was born on February 17, 1954, in Chintamadaka village in the Medak district of present-day Telangana, India.
KCR began his political career in the late 1960s as a member of the Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress (INC). However, he later parted ways with the Congress party and formed the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in 2001 with the primary objective of achieving statehood for the Telangana region.
KCR played a significant role in leading the movement for a separate state of Telangana. He organized massive rallies, protests, and hunger strikes, garnering support from the people of Telangana and putting pressure on the central government. Finally, in 2014, the Indian Parliament passed a bill to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and create the state of Telangana, with Hyderabad as its capital. KCR’s TRS party emerged victorious in the subsequent state elections, and he became the first Chief Minister of Telangana.
During his tenure as Chief Minister, KCR implemented various welfare programs and development initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the people of Telangana. Some notable schemes introduced by his government include the Rythu Bandhu scheme, which provides financial assistance to farmers, and the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, a massive irrigation project aimed at addressing water scarcity in the region. He also focused on initiatives such as Mission Bhagiratha for providing safe drinking water and Mission Kakatiya for the restoration of lakes and tanks in the state.
KCR’s leadership style and political strategies have been both praised and criticized. Supporters credit him for successfully leading the Telangana statehood movement and bringing development to the region. Critics, however, have accused him of adopting an autocratic style of governance and concentrating power within his family.
In the 2018 Telangana state elections, KCR’s TRS party secured a majority and he continued as the Chief Minister for a second term.
He changed his party name from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on 5 October 2022 to enter into national politics.
Overall, K. Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, remains a significant figure in Indian politics, particularly for his role in the formation and development of the state of Telangana.
