Hyderabad: In 2018, K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) was a strong supporter of an anti-BJP, anti-Congress front. Four years later, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief is now focusing on building his ‘national party’, which he first indirectly mentioned at his party’s 21st foundation day celebrations in April.
As recently as 11 September, KCR announced that he would be launching a national party “soon”. “Very soon, a national party will be formed and its policies will be framed,” read a release from his office.
However, KCR’s allies are in the dark as he hasn’t even announced the broad outlines of his plan, let alone concrete details on how to go from a regional platform to a national power.
Various questions remain unanswered: Will it be a new party that will contest the 2024 general election in different states? Will it be TRS in Telangana and Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in other states? Why would regional parties align with KCR’s “national party” in their own bastion?
On his part, the Telangana chief minister continues his outreach to opposition leaders across the country – the latest is from last week Meeting with former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela,
TRS leaders spoke to ThePrint about the lack of clarity on what they plan to do next, and said the party has not been taken on board yet.
“KCR is still not clear. As things become clear, KCR will launch a new party with a focus on the national role. Maybe then TRS will become part of BRS,” a close aide of KCR told ThePrint.
Former TRS MP B Vinod said the plan is to get the BRS registered with the Election Commission in the next few months, and is also in a position to contest by 2024. There are no plans to form alliances with other regional parties. State, But according to Vinod, deputy chairman of the Telangana State Planning Commission, the BRS may consider a possible “seat-sharing” with them.
“Section 29” Representation of the People Act Allows any party to be registered, and we can also register BRS. We plan – if this idea comes to fruition – to expand our horizons and change the name from TRS to BRS. But we have not yet had a meeting of the party legislature and everyone has been inducted into the board. The entire party has not yet approved it.”
Vinod said.
“We have not thought of any alliance so far. The idea is to establish TRS as a national party, and then we can do some seat-sharing in other states with regional parties depending on the situation at the time of election,” he said.
TRS has a long way to go
To get TRS status of a national party, there are three possible routes. One way would be to win at least 6 percent of the valid votes in more than four states in general and state elections, and secure at least four Lok Sabha seats. Another route would be to be recognized as a state party in the four states. Similarly, the tag can be ensured if the party wins 2 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different states.
Being confined to Telangana, TRS has a lot of distance to travel before it aspires to become a national party.
According to TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, BRS will first look at neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka to contest elections in 2024.
“We are hopeful that the legislature party will meet early next month and the idea of BRS will be discussed. If everyone is together, a national party can be formed in a month. The party will be an association of like-minded people like farmer organisations, ex-bureaucrats etc. We are also having a legal discussion about it. Once it is finalised, there will also be a general body meeting for further discussion,” he told ThePrint.
According to party insiders, TRS workers are supportive of KCR taking over the national role, but they have questions about the future of the TRS – which came to power with the Telangana state agitation – if it merges with the BRS. It is done.
“One thing is clear. We are not thinking of any alliance but only focusing on our national party. If anyone wants to join, we will welcome them. It is not about who is the next prime minister. Who is going to become that. We will decide later. Our idea is to take our party to the national level,” TRS MLC T. Bhanuprasad Rao told ThePrint.
Senior political analyst Nageswara Rao argued that seat-sharing with regional parties is not a practical option.
in a videoNageswara Rao said, “The confusing thing here is that if KCR enters Karnataka with his party, why would he? [Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D.] Kumaraswamy agrees with this? Will KCR’s party not give competition to Kumaraswamy’s party? When KCR went to Bihar, [Deputy CM and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader] Tejashwi Yadav and [CM and Janata Dal (United) leader] Nitish Kumar gave a good response and gave a positive response. So, if KCR contests in Bihar, will it be okay to give him his seats? Even if they do, wouldn’t they expect the same in Telangana? Will KCR give some seats to JD(U) or RJD?
KCR’s ambition to play a national role has been known for the past four years. His first meeting was with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in March 2018, where he announced that a “federal front” was being formed.
Over the years, the TRS chief has met Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief and CM Hemant Soren and RJD chief Lalu Prasad. is of.
In May, KCR met Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh, where he handed over checks to the families of farmers who lost their lives during the agitation against agricultural laws. Was.
However, Nageswara Rao said, “As long as their own political prospects are not hurt, these parties are ready to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and support others. But, once they realize that their prospects have been hurt, they will not support [others], For example, both the Congress and the AAP are anti-BJP – but are they coming together? Same is the case with Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties. Both Congress and KCR oppose the BJP, but are they working together?
“KCR’s BRS is a big question. And how many of these leaders or parties will support KCR till the end, provided he strives for an alliance, is also a question, some of these leaders tried to support BJP in the past,” the political analyst said in the video.
(Edited by Tony Rae)
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