Will rechristening TRS to Bharat Rashtra Samithi boost political fortunes of KCR?

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), a political party that was founded two decades ago to achieve the goal of separate statehood, has shed its name but widened its scope. Known for being a risk-taker, TRS founder and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, on Wednesday, signed the party’s resolution to rename the party as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Giving him company on this occasion was JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy who flew to Hyderabad to be a part of the event.

Before putting an end to speculations about the party’s renaming, KCR, along with his family members, visited a temple and sought the blessings of priests on the day of Dussehra festival. He also chose an auspicious time, 1.19 pm, to formally announce the decision to party members during the general body meeting of the party held at Telangana Bhavan, the party’s headquarters.

A large number of excited party workers assembled outside the party office which was decked up for the occasion. Amidst sloganeering and cheering, KCR said, “Telangana Rashtra Samithi party has conducted its general body meeting at party headquarters in Hyderabad. The party general body meeting unanimously agreed to change the name of the party from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi with a view to expand its activities nationwide.”

The party also communicated to the Election Commission of India about the development.

“…Necessary amendments to the party constitution have also been made in the same meeting. The Resolution and the Amended Party Constitution is submitted,” read one of the contents of the letter to the Election Commission.

KCR has been nursing the dream of playing an active role in national politics for quite some time. In 2018, before the state elections, he spoke about the need for a federal front, a coalition of parties opposed to both the Congress and the BJP. Though KCR tried to drum up support for his initiative, it remained a non-starter.

Between 2018 and now, KCR met senior political leaders from various parties and states, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin, SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav.

According to political analysts, KCR is in a peculiar situation that does not allow him to be flexible while dealing with other regional parties to play a key role in the upcoming general elections. At the national level, he cannot join the Congress-led front as the grand old party is his party's political rival in the state. However, he cannot imagine backing an NDA alliance as it would push away his minority voters and also his ally, the AIMIM.

A two-time CM, KCR was also a Union minister holding labour and shipping portfolios. According to political analysts, he would only eye a role bigger than what he had served in the past. It is being thought that since Telangana has only 17 MPs and TRS might not have the numbers to dictate terms in the wake of a hung parliament, KCR decided to take a gamble to contest in various parts of the country post a hectic campaign to win a significant number of seats that can put him in the driver’s seat.

At the same time, BRS (formerly TRS) fighting elections in different parts of the country may upset local and regional parties who might not take it kindly to see a non-local party encroaching into their turf and spoiling their electoral calculations.

The name change has also left some of the party men worried as it takes away the unique identity of the party as the champions of the Telangana cause. As the state elections are due late next year, KCR and his party would be hoping that the Telangana voters look at the bigger picture and vote to stamp their approval to send their leader to Delhi.