Telangana’s political lingo needs a reset

Political rivalry has always been noisy in Telangana, even when it was part of Andhra Pradesh. Sharp criticism, sarcasm, and ideological clashes were intrinsic in its politics. However, now political communication appears to have crossed the line. Increasingly, abuse has replaced argument, personal attacks have overshadowed policy debates, and social media virality has become more valuable than political substance.

Exchanges between the ruling party and the Opposition over several issues, starting from the Kaleshwaram project, phone tapping, water sharing with neighbouring States, and even regular government schemes, demonstrate this trend. Rather than limiting the debate to failures, financial, political, and administrative accountability, leaders use provocative remarks and symbolic counter-events designed to dominate news cycles. Sometimes, even families are dragged into the abuse.

This has not happened overnight. Even in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, politics was intensely confrontational. However, personal abuse largely remained outside the mainstream.