Colgate, coolgate: BRS takes veiled dig at K Kavitha after her party launch

The Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) on Saturday reacted sharply to former party MP K Kavitha floating her own separate political outfit named the Telangana Rashtra Sena (TRS) mirroring the acronym of the party’s original name before its rebranding, and took a dig at her and her party, saying the "original is always the original".

The BRS, founded and led by Kavitha’s father and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, took to X to hit out at the former party MP’s move and took a dig at her by sharing pictures of popular toothpaste and mineral water brands and their copies.

One of the photos, shared by the BRS to launch a symbolic and veiled attack on K Kavitha, featured two toothpaste packs with one branded as "Colgate", which is a popular brand, juxtaposed with another one branded as "Coolgate", which is a copy of the original, with the brand name slightly tweaked.

In another picture, two mineral water bottles can be seen with one of them carrying a label reading "Bisleri", which is again a popular and trusted brand. The other bottle can be seen branded as "Brislie" – being the fake one.

The post was captioned: "The original is always the original" written in Telugu, and corresponding to the pictures shared below.

K KAVITHA FLOATS HER OWN TRS

The sharp social media jab came shortly after Kavitha formally announced the launch of her new political outfit, Telangana Rashtra Sena, at an event held on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The choice of name — mirroring the earlier identity of the BRS before its 2022 rebranding — has triggered a political and symbolic confrontation between the two sides.

Kavitha, who heads the cultural organisation Telangana Jagruthi, had been suspended from the BRS in September 2025 following internal differences.

She had accused senior party leaders, including close family members, of damaging the image of the party leadership, particularly in connection with the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project.

Since her suspension, she has intensified her outreach on public issues, positioning herself as an independent voice.

At her recent public interactions, Kavitha criticised both the BRS and the ruling Congress for allegedly neglecting pressing concerns such as farmers’ distress, water shortages, and labour issues.

She also questioned the priorities of the BRS leadership, accusing the party of failing to address key national and regional matters, including women’s political representation and delimitation.

In a rare direct critique, she expressed dissatisfaction with remarks made by her father, suggesting that the party was disconnected from the aspirations of Telangana’s youth.

Framing her new outfit as a platform for change, Kavitha said it would focus on amplifying unheard voices and creating opportunities for younger generations in politics.

Her remarks signal an attempt to carve out a distinct political identity separate from the BRS legacy.

The unfolding developments point to an intensifying political rift within one of Telangana’s most prominent political families.

With Kavitha entering the fray independently and the BRS responding with pointed messaging, the coming months are likely to witness a sharper contest for political space and public support in the state.

- Ends