Can BRS really dare to boycott ABN? This question is now being debated within political and media circles after recent developments linked to the Phone Tapping Case.
The entire Bharat Rashtra Samithi ecosystem was on edge after the SIT summoned former Minister K T Rama Rao in the investigation. Media channels extensively covered the probe throughout the day.
Several reports also spoke about alleged leaks from inside the investigation. In particular, claims about questions related to tapping the phones of heroines unsettled BRS leaders the most.
BRS reacted strongly to these developments. KTR addressed the press and warned media houses against telecasting such leaks, stating that the party wanted cordial relations with the media. He also cautioned that defamation cases would follow if the coverage continued.
Similar scenes later unfolded on ABN. During a debate moderated by Venkat Krishna, BRS MLC Ravinder Rao used the words “Pichhi Na kodukulu” while referring to the media.
Venkat Krishna repeatedly asked him to withdraw the remark, but Ravinder Rao refused. The anchor eventually asked him to get out of the debate.
This triggered anger among BRS supporters, who objected to Venkat Krishna’s handling of the situation. They began demanding that the party leadership boycott the ABN channel.
In the process, some supporters targeted ABN and Radhakrishna, dragging in references to Chandrababu Naidu, TDP, Kamma caste, and Radhakrishna’s Andhra roots, even though those claims are not true.
BRS social media teams are now aggressively calling for K T Rama Rao and K Chandrashekar Rao to boycott ABN.
However, the real question is whether BRS can afford to boycott the media while in the opposition. Doing so may not be a practical move.
ABN has grown significantly as a media platform over the past year. For much of the period, it ranked third or fourth in viewership.
The channel has become even stronger in Hyderabad, where it has topped ratings for several weeks.
Boycotting such an influential channel may not make strategic sense. Instead, BRS may need to field leaders who can better handle ABN debates and navigate tough questioning.
