If the reports doing rounds in a section of media are to be believed, Telangana Jagruthi president Kalvakuntla Kavitha, daughter of Bharatiya Janata Party president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is planning to shed her “Kalvakuntla” surname.
She will take her husband Anil Kumar’s surname Devanapalli and rebrand herself as Devanapalli Kavithamma hereafter, according to sources.
While it is common in Indian tradition for women to adopt their husband’s surname after marriage, Kavitha has been carrying the prefix “Kalvakuntla” all these days, obviously to claim the political legacy of her father.
But she has realised that there has been criticism from various quarters for carrying the surname of Kalvakuntla even after she was shunted out from the BRS and also the family. She has lost all access to her family in the last three or four months.
Since there is a criticism that by carrying her father’s surname, Kavitha is still trying to stake claim over the BRS and that she may return to the party in future.
In order to rebut this criticism, Kavitha decided to go with her husband’s surname, a move that signals a political rebranding. The renaming is being interpreted as the first step in a new political journey, separate from the shadow of her father.
Political corridors are abuzz with speculation that the decision reflects deepening fissures within the Kalvakuntla family.
Adding weight to these discussions is Kavitha’s decision to start her new padayatra, “Janam Baata”, not from her parental home but from her husband’s village. Analysts see this as a deliberate message: “I am walking my own path, not under my father’s shadow.”
Her public appearances have also undergone a noticeable transformation — the white sarees, large bindis, and serious demeanour have triggered comparisons to Jayalalithaa, with social media dubbing her “Jayalalitha 2.0 – Telangana Edition”.
Several political analysts note that Kavitha appears to be consciously crafting a distinct political identity. “She is no longer positioning herself merely as KCR’s daughter but as a leader with her own constituency.”
Her strong support among women’s groups and rural communities is seen as an asset that could fuel a fresh political trajectory.
The re-emergence of “Kavithamma” could mark a new twist in Telangana politics. Whether this transformation leads to a new political outfit, a repositioning within BRS, or a larger statewide mobilisation, remains to be seen.
