TRS is now BRS, party set to approach EC, says decision unanimous

As Cong, BJP attack KCR, he has at least two other parties with him at Wednesday's meeting: JD(S) of Karnataka and VCK from Tamil Nadu

TRS President and Telangana CM K Chandrashekar with VCK party founder Thol. Thirumavalavan and JDS leader H. D. Kumaraswamy during changing of the name of the party from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). (PTI Photo)

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is now the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), reflecting the national ambitions of its founder and chief K Chandrashekar Rao.

Rao, the Telangana Chief Minister, Wednesday held a meeting of the TRS State General Body at the party headquarters in Hyderabad. Among the attendees was Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who arrived with 20 of his party MLAs. Tamil Nadu-based Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s T. Thirumavalavan, a Dalit leader, also came with a group of party representatives.

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The members of TRS, which was launched in April 2001, unanimously approved a resolution to change its name and make it a national party. Now, a party delegation led by politburo member B Vinod Kumar will approach the Election Commission and submit an application seeking the name change and registration as a national party.

Leaders said changes were also made to the party’s constitution during the meeting.

Before the meeting, Rao hosted Kumaraswamy, Thirumavalavan and their party members for breakfast. Sources said BRS and JD(S) have decided to jointly contest elections in Karnataka.

In his bid to form a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance, KCR has met in recent months a number pf of top Opposition faces including Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Shibu Soren, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, Shiv Sena president and ex-Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, JD(S) chief and ex-PM H D Deve Gowda, ex-Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav, and former Gujarat CM Shankersinh Vaghela.

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The TRS camp has also been closely watching Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the election to the AICC president’s post, and the meetings of regional party leaders — such as the one that Nitish and Lalu recently had with Congress president Sonia Gandhi seeking the formation of a united Opposition front for the 2024 general elections — to gauge the moves of regional leaders.

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Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy ridiculed KCR for removing the word Telangana from his party. “The word represents this region and its people. It is an identity and a sentiment. By removing the word, KCR has butchered it and disrespected it. He has also severed all connections of the party with Telangana,” he said.

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K Krishna Sagar Rao, chief spokesperson of the Telangana BJP unit, said KCR’s national entry while “struggling to keep his government operational” financially is a “misadventure”. “This is not the first time a regional party has nurtured national ambition. Many have tried and failed. I strongly believe the initiative is self-sabotage. The name change will lead to him losing his home turf, while he embarks on a wasteful national ambition,’’ he said.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More