Hyderabad :- In the aftermath of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party’s recent electoral setback in the Telangana Assembly elections, a chorus demanding the restoration of the party’s original name, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), has gained momentum. The party, which held the TRS moniker for nearly nine-and-a-half years after coming to power in the state, is facing internal discussions on reverting to its former identity.
During the ongoing nine-day preparatory meeting for the BRS ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, party leaders have been vocal in calling for this significant name change. Notable figures such as BRS working president KT Rama Rao, former ministers Harish Rao, Kadiyam Srihari, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, and Niranjan Reddy are actively participating in these preparatory meetings.
Prominent voices within the party, including former ministers, sitting MLAs, and ex-MLAs, are backing the demand to revert to the TRS name. The preparatory meetings, initiated on January 3 at the Telangana Bhavan state party office and scheduled until January 22, aim to strategize for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, much of the discourse has centered on analyzing the reasons behind BRS’ defeat in the recent state elections.
Party cadres are being given an opportunity to express their views during these meetings, addressing concerns about organizational issues like the perceived lack of party structure and operational deficiencies. The leaders have emphasized that the TRS, initially formed with the goal of achieving statehood for Telangana, still resonates more with the people than the current BRS designation.
Members argue that dropping ‘Telangana’ from the party’s name contributed to the electoral setback, leading to the downfall of the government. They insist on returning to the original TRS name to re-establish a connection with the people.
Highlighting the recent Munugode bypoll victory under the old TRS banner, some leaders plan to formally request party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) to approve the restoration of the TRS name. According to a senior BRS leader, if KCR greenlights the proposal, the name-changing process can be completed before the commencement of campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state.
