Expectation in the air as KCR is all set to announce ‘national’ plan to take on BJP
To put up an effective fight against the BJP across the country, Telangana Rashtra Samiti president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is all set to rename his party and unveil his “national political foray” plan on Wednesday, party sources said.
The presence of party leaders, including JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and Tamil Nadu-based Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder-chief Thol Thirumavalavan, has led to speculations on the contours of the nationwide plan, that Rao, popularly known as KCR, is contemplating and expected to announce.
While the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the ruling party in Telangana, is set to be renamed “Bharata Rashtra Samiti” (BRS), a JD(S) functionary said the new outfit would be a “conglomeration of various regional parties,” that are fighting the BJP in their respective states.
“The idea is to put up a united fight against the BJP. Basically, it’s a combination of various regional parties who want to rise above their political differences and come together,” the JD(S) leader said.
Thirumavalavan, on his Twitter handle, said he is in Hyderabad on the invitation of Rao for the launch of BRS. He congratulated Rao for his efforts to turn his attention on the national level. The VCK is an ally of the DMK, which is in power in Tamil Nadu.
Rao’s move to accelerate his political fight against the BJP coincides with the announcement of schedule for Munugode by-poll in Telangana by the Election Commission. The polling is scheduled to be held on November 3 and votes would be counted on November 6.
In 2020, the BJP emerged as a force to reckon with in Hyderabad civic polls and also won Assembly constituencies in by-polls held to segments including Huzurabad. The BJP leaders have been vigorously focusing on Telangana as part of the party’s efforts to expand its footprint in southern parts of the country.
Rao is expected to announce the new name for the party on Wednesday, considered auspicious in view of ‘Vijayadasami’.
A festive mood has gripped TRS workers with a Warangal-based party leader distributing chickens and liquor to 200 workers, wishing a grand success to KCR in his bid to go beyond Telangana.
After renaming the party, TRS leadership plans to reach out to people by pitching its “Telangana good governance model” to venture into national politics and effectively take on the BJP.
The TRS general body would meet at ‘Telangana Bhavan’, the party headquarters here, and pass a resolution effecting the name change, TRS sources said.
The Election Commission would be apprised of the change as per the Representation of the People Act and relevant rules.
In its outreach initiative, TRS would focus on welfare schemes being implemented in Telangana like ‘Rythu Bandhu’ support scheme for farmers and ‘Dalit Bandhu’ (Rs 10 lakh grant to every Dalit household to start any business or trade).
Similar schemes have not been devised and implemented at the national level and the BJP has also dubbed welfare initiatives as “freebies.” Electricity has not been provided in all the villages, across the country and all such aspects would be taken up in the campaign to expose the ruling party at the Centre, the sources had said.
The TRS, in its foundation day event in April this year, had resolved that the party should play a key role in national politics in the interest of the country as the BJP is “exploiting communal sentiments,” for its political convenience.