This discourse went lower as the BJP Telangana handle referred to the minister as a black magic toy.

A row has erupted after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, October 8, alleged that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took political decisions based on the advice of a ‘tantrik’. In an interview to news agency ANI, Nirmala alleged, “We have learnt that it was a tantrik’s advice that women should not be inducted into the cabinet as it is not good for him (KCR). We don't know how true this is, but regardless of that he didn't appoint a woman in the cabinet.” She also alleged that KCR built a new Secretariat for himself based on a numerologist’s advice.

The Union Minister’s remarks sparked a war of words with the TRS as the senior woman minister in KCR's cabinet took to Twitter to remind the Finance Minister about herself. Education Minister Sabitha Reddy responded, “Amma @nsitharaman garu, there are two women ministers in the TS Govt. Myself and my colleague @SatyavathiTRS have been serving the ppl of our state under the dynamic leadership of KCR garu for the last 3 yrs (sic).” She added that several women voted for the TRS and for KCR and called it “embarrassing on your (Nirmala’s) part that you are not informed on this basic information regarding Telangana”. 

Things got murkier as the Telangana BJP unit jumped into this argument. The BJP handle tweeted, "Ur jump from Congress to TRS made difference. Until U came, women were banned in TS Cabinet by Tantric, which is what FM Smt @nsitharaman garu stated - no women representation in initial Cabinet expansions. Had you not put the obligation of ministry, u wud be black magic toy of Tantric." Sabitha Reddy was sworn in as minister in September 2019, along with many others including KCR's son KT Rama Rao. KCR had kept most portfolios to himself till then.

The minister responded to BJP's statement and condemned them for calling her a 'black magic toy'. "Thank you @BJP4Telangana and @nsitharaman garu. Calling me "BLACK MAGIC TOY" is evidence enough of your views and respect you hold women in. Reminding you of facts and responsibilities is my fault," she said.

In her interview, Nirmala also slammed KCR for choosing to name his national party the Bharat Rashtra Party, claiming that he “abandoned” Telugu for a Sanskrit name. This is not the first time that the BJP in Telangana levelled allegations of KCR consulting numerologists and astrologers. During his visit to the state in July this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also claimed that the old secretariat building was demolished based on a ‘sorcerer's advice’. BJP chief in Telangana, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, had also earlier claimed that the party’s name was changed to BRS as “a tantrik told KCR that unless he changed TRS’s name, he would be out of power”. 

Amma @nsitharaman garu, there are two women ministers in the TS Govt. Myself and my colleague @SatyavathiTRS have been serving the ppl of our state under the dynamic leadership of KCR garu for the last 3 yrs. It's embarrassing on your part that you are not informed on this basic+ https://t.co/YKpnkWJrTb

KCR on October 5 launched his national party, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, following a TRS general body meeting. Speaking at the event, KCR said that the party’s first national move will be in Maharashtra, with the establishment of a BRS-affiliated farmers’ union.

Read: BRS to kickstart action in Maharashtra with launch of farmers’ wing, says KCR