The Bharat Rashtra Samithi leadership appears to have left its popular newspaper, Namaste Telangana, in the lurch, as the management is reportedly facing difficulties in paying salaries to journalists and other staff members on time due to mounting losses.

Namaste Telangana emerged as a prominent voice during the Telangana statehood movement. It once enjoyed considerable public support for its coverage of the movement.

After the BRS came to power in 2014, the newspaper lost much of its credibility and relevance and became a mouthpiece of the party.

Yet, it continued to be a favourite newspaper among Telangana readers, as most other major Telugu dailies are managed by people from Andhra Pradesh.

The publication has increasingly aligned itself with the political interests of its owners at the expense of independent journalism.

Over the years, the BRS appears to have lost interest in running the newspaper, and its financial condition has worsened due to declining advertising revenue.

In the last few months, several senior journalists and other staff members have left the newspaper.

The publication’s future has become uncertain despite its existing infrastructure and association with other media platforms.

The newspaper’s circulation has weakened considerably, and advertising revenue has also declined sharply, leaving the publication under financial pressure.

A newspaper that once benefited from its association with a powerful political movement is now struggling to sustain its position in a competitive media market.

Sources said staff members have not received salary increments for six years, and there have been no meaningful pay revisions or bonuses during this period. Several key personnel have either left the organisation or are considering leaving.

The organisation has its own printing facilities, buildings and other assets, along with a television channel, an English-language newspaper, and social and digital media operations. These assets could help the group continue operating even if its print publication faces mounting financial difficulties, sources added.

Sources said the BRS leadership’s neglect of the newspaper has left its employees uncertain about their future. KCR had a strong personal attachment to the publication in its earlier years.

“But now, everybody in the party seems to have lost interest in running it,” sources added.