Saturday evening at Hyderabad's Lamakaan carried an unusual air of anticipation. The open cultural space, usually alive with casual weekend chatter and the clinking of teacups, had taken on a quieter, expectant tone. At around 6.50 p.m., the crowd's wait ended as BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao arrived to a ripple of applause for an evening conversation titled "Chai and Why of Indian Elections" with host, singer and actor Anuj Gurwara.

In a candid exchange, KTR reflected on the evolving nature of Indian politics, saying that the coming decades would belong to regional and secular alliances rather than large national parties. "The future of Indian politics will not be defined by larger national parties but by a new coalition of regional and secular forces, and BRS will have a role to play. For the next 15-20 years, I don't see any single-party government in India. The next government will have to be a coalition of progressive forces," he said.

Asked about his experience in opposition after a decade in power, KTR said it brought both relief and frustration. He refused to call the 2023 Assembly election loss a setback, noting, "We lost by just 1.8%. We still got 37% of the vote and 39 seats, one-third of the Assembly."

On the state of Indian democracy, he spoke against efforts to homogenise the country's social fabric. "Hyderabad has always been a mix of communities and languages. Only fools would think they can homogenise India. This country has weathered enough attempts like that," he said. He attributed growing polarisation to political strategies that focus on caste and religion rather than governance. "During elections, your caste, your religion, not your performance, become the issue. How well you improved per capita income or built roads becomes irrelevant," he remarked.

Calling out voter apathy, particularly among the urban educated class, he said only about 35% of Hyderabad votes. "Where there are educated people, the voting percentage is lowest. We are indifferent," he observed. KTR also dismissed the notion that online narratives reflect the country's social reality. "The communal divide being propagated online does not reflect India's reality. The majority of Indians are not on social media. Hyderabad still remains an oasis of communal harmony," he said.

Speaking about inclusivity in governance, he recalled that when K. Chandrasekhar Rao formed the cabinet in 2018, it initially comprised only two members, KCR and Mahmood Ali. "That's how you show respect for inclusion," KTR said, questioning the current Congress government's lack of Muslim representation. "How many Muslim ministers or MLCs are there now? None," he added.

As the evening drew to a close, KTR urged the audience to raise their voice and participate in democracy despite challenges. "If I can raise my voice despite ED and ACB notices, why can't you?. If you don't participate in democracy, you lose the right to complain" he asked.

Future belongs to regional, secular parties, says KTR