Telangana CM KCR takes his party national, TRS is now Bharat Rashtra Samithi

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday fulfilled his national aspirations as he launched his newly renamed Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) at exactly 1.19 pm.

At his party's general body meeting held at the Telangana Bhavan, held during Vijayadashami celebrations, a resolution was passed unanimously to rename the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Among those present were former Karnataka CM and JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy and DMK ally Thol Thirumavalavan.

KCR, as the Telangana CM is popularly known, had indicated his ambition to play a key role at the national level in 2019, and at the inauguration today said that the purpose of the erstwhile TRS was "achieved with the formation of separate Telangana state and making it the number-1 state in the country in various developmental and welfare programmes".

Telangana ranks 22 out of 36 in the list of Indian states and Union Territories in terms of Human Development Index (HDI).

The exercise to showcase its "Telangana good governance model" is widely perceived to be part of the TRS' efforts to position itself as a viable alternative to the BJP.

Rao, who recently reiterated that "very soon, the formation of a national party and formulation of its policies will take place," has at various times taken a stand against both the BJP and the Congress party.

However, despite KCR's ambition, as per the Election Commission of India (ECI), in order to be recognised as a national entity, must have some presence in at least four states or has to have won 6 per cent of the votes in any four states and four Lok Sabha seats. Alternatively, the party must win 2 per cent of Lok Sabha seats from any three states.

Thus, for now BRS does not qualify as a national party.