Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao will go down in history as the man who played a key role in the formation of Telangana. The birthday of the first Chief Minister of Telangana State is being celebrated by the party activists in various parts of the state today. KCR using his car (symbol of TRS) managed to drive the struggle vehicle. When KCR raised the Telangana slogan, no one believed him. After immense struggle conducting protests, hunger strikes, agitations, the dream of separate state was realized. On the CM’s birthday we bring to you, his first episode as TRS leader, when he rallied with thousand cars in the national capital and even drove his own car.
The Delhi Rally event which started on 27th March 2003 was the paramount event for KCR after the formation of TRS. One thousand cars participated in the adventurous expedition by road headed by KCR. District TRS leaders and active party workers accompanied him.
The rally started from Falaknuma Palace in old city Hyderabad. It stayed on the banks of river Penganga on its first day and took off the second day from Vidarbha in Maharashtra. KCR was talking to other leaders in car using wireless sets. Telangana people who are known to migrate to various states, welcomed the rally at Nagpur with slogans and flags. The convoy stayed at the banks of river Narmada at Nasingapur. KCR witnessed the heart wrenching condition of Bundelkhand while heading to Delhi.
The cars arrived at Delhi by mid-day. The Jai Telangana slogan echoed in Delhi streets, which were filled with thousand cars and pink coloured flags which fluttered with a swishing sound. The thousand car rally was a unique spectacle for the people and the police of Delhi. They watched with enthusiasm standing on the either side of the road never missing the gala rally of the car march. Even the police preferred to have a clear gaze. Delhi for the first time tasted the heat of Telangana movement in the year 2003.
KCR’s speech at the Ramleela Maidan gathered all the attention of the audience and became the top item of newspapers the next day. The return trip was scheduled for Hyderabad by air, but the TRS party leader preferred to travel by road via Bhopal and his first night sojourn was at Jhansi.
KCR who witnessed the pain on Bundelkhand in his onward journey, in his retreat he held discussions with the Bundelkhand leaders which went on the whole night. KCR held a press meet the next morning and announced support to Bundelkhand.
The tour touched Bhopal in the evening and KCR’s driver seemed exhausted. KCR took up the steering of the safari car. It was late at night, the ghat road all along was blood curdling and fearful. KCR was determined not to rest till they reached Nagpur. The convoy was engaged in interesting discussions that night.
KCR the next day announced unstinted support to the Vidarbha movement. The car reached Armoor that night and arrived in Hyderabad the following day. Thus the car rally was successful conducted. A detailed account of the political voyage was vividly described in the book entitled, ‘The ten year tour of TRS’, authored by V.Prakash who had first-hand experience of the tour to Delhi.
Extract from History of Telangana Movements by V. Prakash
