Meet Barrelakka, The Emerging Voice Of Unemployed Graduates In Telangana Elections

In the midst of Telangana's political landscape, that is dominated by money and muscle power, Karne Shireesha, popularly known as Barrelakka (sister who owns buffaloes), emerged as a unique contender in the upcoming Telangana Assembly Elections. 

Shireesha, a 25-year-old unemployed BCom graduate has joined the Telangana race from Kollapur in Nagarkurnool as an Independent – to raise the issues, among others, of the unemployed. She has now become a social media star.

The youngest candidate in the current assembly elections, is challenging sitting BRS MLA Beeram Harshavardhan Reddy and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao, both seasoned politicians with a long history of representing the constituency. What sets Shireesha apart is her lack of political and financial background, making her a rare independent candidate who has captured the attention of the public.

Barlekha’s 2021 buffalo video:

Now a popular online content creator, Shireesha went viral in 2021, when she posted a compelling video on Instagram. This video not only catapulted her into the public eye but also transformed her into a symbol of the unemployment crisis in Telangana.

“Hi friends, I am your Barrelakka,” she says in the video. “However hard we study, and whatever degrees we acquire, we will not be given jobs in Telangana. That is the reason I bought four buffaloes with my mother’s [hard-earned money]. Now, I have come to the fields with my buffaloes.”

“I have only a B.Com degree but there are others who have done M.Phil or PhD and still remain unemployed… I speak about the youth who are highly educated but do not have jobs,’’ Shireesha told Indian Express, explaining why the video went viral.

Since filing her candidature, Shireesha’s online presence under the handle ‘princes_siri_barrelakka’ has skyrocketed, amassing over 699K followers on Instagram. A team of volunteers, including Shireesha’s fellow students from Hyderabad’s Osmania University and others from Kakatiya University, is fueling her campaign. They employ catchy songs that resonate with the youth, amplifying her message through influencers, YouTubers, and other online platforms.

Two songs in particular have gone viral – ‘Pedalikiakka, barrelakka (Sister of the poor, our barrelakka)’; and ‘Nuvu whistle este vinapadtadi Andhra daka, barrelakka (If you whistle, it will be heard till Andhra, barrelakka)’.

Barelakka’s family background:

The first person in her family to attend college, Shireesha hails from a household that makes a living by rearing buffaloes and selling milk. Shireesha's family faced a significant setback when her father, a drunkard, sold their 1/4 acre of land without informing the family.

In a TV interview, Shireesha expressed her struggles to retrieve the land, saying, “My father sold that land without telling my mother or us. I went around begging and touching people's feet to get our land back, but there is no way for us now to retrieve it. My land has been swallowed by Dharani and my drunkard father.”

The BRS government's Dharani portal, an Integrated Land Records Management System, allowed any owner to sell their land without the consent or signatures of their family members.

With her land gone, Shireesha had hoped to find a job in the newly carved-out Telangana state. She wrote multiple state service examinations, including those for Group I, Group II, Sub Inspector, and Constable jobs. Each time, however, the selection process faced delays or cancellations due to issues like paper leakage.

Barrelakka's brother attacked:

However, her decision to contest the election and the ensuing overwhelming support from people, has rattled the three rich candidates of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Congress, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the constituency. She has also received threat calls urging her to withdraw her candidature.

On Tuesday, November 21, Shireesha’s school-going younger brother was allegedly attacked by a group of assailants near Pedda Kothapalle in Vennacherla village. Many subsequently alleged that the accused were linked to the ruling BRS.

Expressing her dismay, Shireesha broke down in front of the media, stating, “I wanted to win and do justice to a few people, but I did not think this would happen. I'm doing this to address the issues faced by unemployed youngsters and fight for them. But they (other parties) are doing so much to me; I have received many threat calls.”

Rather than dampening her spirits, these threats have triggered a wave of support for Shireesha. Social media has become a platform for rallying behind her, and supporters from across Telangana and beyond have shown solidarity.

As the Telangana Legislative Assembly elections approach on November 30, 2023, Shireesha's grassroots movement and innovative approach stand as a testament to the changing face of electoral politics in Telangana, where so far money and muscle power has dominated the process to field candidates.