Telangana Assembly Elections 2023: Unknown facts about CM K Chandrashekar Rao
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR, began his political career with the Youth Congress Party and later joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1983.
K Chandrashekar Rao is best known for his leadership in the Telangana movement, a decades-long campaign for Telangana's independence from Andhra Pradesh.
In 2001, K Chandrashekar Rao left TDP, citing discrimination against Telangana by Chandrababu Naidu. He founded Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), rekindling the statehood movement dormant since the late 1960s.
K Chandrashekar Rao eventually allied with the Congress, which promised Telangana statehood, and fought the 2004 Lok Sabha elections alongside it. In 2009, he left the alliance, and again partnered with TDP.
He began a fast-unto-death in November 2009, requesting that the Telangana Bill be introduced in the Indian Parliament.
K Chandrashekar Rao became Telangana's first chief minister following the state's creation in 2014. He has since been re-elected to the office in successive elections.
K Chandrashekar Rao is renowned in Telangana for launching many welfare initiatives, including "Rythu Bandhu" scheme, which offers financial support to farmers, and "KCR Kits" for pregnant women and new moms.
K Chandrashekar Rao's leadership has been characterised by both praise for his role in securing Telangana's statehood and criticism for his authoritarian governing style and perceived consolidation of power.
He is a music enthusiast who wrote many songs during the Telangana Movement.
K Chandrashekar Rao is a staunch believer in astrology, numerology and Vaastu.