TRS, till last month this was the name of the regional party that finally secured separate statehood for the state of Telangana. The party secured victory in two elections while the first one was held after the Telangana bill was passed, just before the state formation. The party which was formed in April 2001 was dismissed as a non-starter right from the beginning. The then ruling TDP did everything possible to nip the party in the bud.
Even Congress party, after 2006 following alliance break up did its best to weaken the TRS party. Although the party was literally split with many MLAs joining Congress, its founder K Chandrashekar Rao never gave up. The party faced rout during 2009 elections but within months everything changed after YSR’s demise and turmoil within the Congress for chief minister position. After his fast in December 2009, everything changed forever in Telangana and despite many challenges, Telangana statehood was an irreversible process that reached its conclusion in March 2014 in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Now KCR has his sights set on national ambitions since he feels that the Modi-led BJP hasn’t done anything meaningful to the country in the last eight years. Hence, the name has also been changed to BRS, i.e. Bharat Rasthra Samithi. Now there is a fear among some of the BRS leaders that by losing the name Telangana from the party’s identity, there may be a backlash, confusion or full-fledged discontent among the voters in rural Telangana and that this may backfire.
Sources say that KCR is fully aware of this and at the same time he also realizes that after 9 years in power, there will naturally be some anti-incumbency against the ruling party. Hence, he is reportedly working on a very serious master strategy that would deny any mileage to Telangana BJP or Telangana Congress. KCR is usually considered a master strategist and hence, BRS leaders feel that something may be really being worked out. This could even help the party on a national level and hence the discussions are being kept as secret lest rival parties might quickly copy the same. The coming few months will definitely be interesting to watch as to how the political winds will blow in Telangana and how KCR might present an antidote to all this!
