Politics the Only Field Gaddar Failed to Conquer

Hyderabad: Balladeer Gaddar’s ideological shift from the “power through barrel of gun” to one of democracy and electoral politics remained unsuccessful. He exercised his right to vote for the first time in the 2018 Assembly polls in Telangana, after he announced that he severed ties with Maoists in 2017.

Gaddar actively took part in the Telangana statehood agitation and worked closely with BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao after he launched the TRS in 2001. However, differences cropped up between Rao and Gaddar in 2009 at the height of the Telangana statehood agitation, when Rao sat on fast-unto-death agitation in November 2009, demanding statehood to Telangana.

Following reports that Rao called off his fast-unto-death agitation within three days at a government hospital in Khammam, the students of Osmania University revolted against Rao and resorted to violence in the city. It is widely believed that Gaddar, who described Rao as “untrustworthy” then, played a key role in igniting the Telangana agitation on the OU campus with his songs.

Gaddar launched the Telangana Praja Front (TPF) in October 2010. He said TPF will unite Dalits and backward classes and lead the Telangana statehood agitation, arguing that political parties like TRS can’t make people’s movement a success.

He claimed that Dalits, BCs, minorities and other weaker sections comprise a majority in Telangana and a party like TPF, by involving these sections in agitation programmes, will achieve statehood. But TPF could not make any political impact later and soon faded out.

After the creation of Telangana state in 2014, Gaddar made several attempts to make a mark in state politics but could not succeed despite joining hands with all forces who opposed Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. He was a staunch critic of Rao, accusing him of neglecting Dalits and other marginal sections, till 2018. Later, he suddenly stopped criticising Rao.

When Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS formed a grand alliance ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls in Telangana, Gaddar extended complete support by attending public meetings held by these parties. At that time, then AICC president Rahul Gandhi invited Gaddar to join Congress but Gaddar rejected it. However, he expressed his willingness to contest against Chandrashekar Rao in Gajwel Assembly seat as an independent candidate and sought support from the grand alliance. But the Congress did not oblige to his request and fielded its candidate Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel.

He worked closely with TJS president Prof. Kondandaram, extended support to Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and expressed a willingness to contest on behalf of his party if it made a foray into Telangana.

Gaddar joined hands with Praja Shanthi Party chief K.A. Paul before Munugode Assembly by-poll in October 2022.

He took part in Dalit meetings organised by the BJP Telangana unit. He also worked with the CPM-supported T-MAS Forum, an organization of 272 social and cultural associations called Telangana Mass and Social Organisations Forum. But none of his attempts proved successful.

Finally, Gaddar on June 21 this year announced to float a new party named Gaddar Praja Party and said he will contest the upcoming Assembly polls. K.A. Paul announced the expulsion of Gaddar from his party the next day.

However, on July 2, he was suddenly seen at a public meeting held by Congress in Khammam, which was addressed by Rahul Gandhi. This was Gaddar's last public appearance in a political meeting. He fell sick later and was confined to his home.