BRS bars ABN Andhra Jyothi from party events after on-air insult of MLC

BRS has barred ABN Andhra Jyothi from party meetings and announced leaders will avoid debates on the channel, following anchor Venkatakrishna’s alleged rude behavior toward MLC Takkallapalli Ravinder Rao. The party demanded an unconditional apology

Hyderabad: The main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has barred representatives of the ABN Andhra Jyothi media group from attending its meetings and declared that party leaders will no longer take part in debates on the channel.

The decision came after a televised discussion on January 23 during which news anchor Venkatakrishna misbehaved with BRS MLC Takkallapalli Ravinder Rao asking him to “get out from my debate.”

---

Calling the remark insulting, undemocratic and against journalistic values, the BRS demanded an unconditional apology from the channel.

In a statement, party general secretary Soma Bharat Kumar said the anchor’s conduct was contrary to the spirit of democracy, particularly toward an invited guest who is a sitting MLC. The party accused the channel of maintaining a hostile editorial line against the BRS and Telangana’s political leadership over the years.

Calling the latest incident as part of a series of biased and damaging narratives, the BRS leadership decided on a dual boycott, denying ABN Andhra Jyothi access to party events at Telangana Bhavan and district offices, and also keeping its leaders away from the channel’s panel discussions.