Failed stars? As crisis mounts, BRS mulls return to 'lucky' name TRS
KCR lost power in Telangana, is making no headway nationally, and his daughter is facing ED action; it's all being attributed to name-change
A political party in India seldom changes its name. But after the sound drubbing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) got in the recently held assembly elections, a demand to change the name of the party to its older avatar Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is gaining ground among its rank-and-file.
The existence of the party headed by K Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR, is in jeopardy after the removal of 'Telangana' from its nomenclature, considering it takes credit for spearheading the Telangana movement.
The TRS, which was formed in 2001 with the aim of carving out a separate state from Andhra Pradesh, was rechristened to 'Bharat Rashtra Samithi', or BRS, after 22 years.
An analysis of the 2023 assembly election debacle reportedly revealed that 80 per cent of the TRS workers attributed the party's defeat to the name change. The BRS leaders now argue that removing 'Telangana' from the name poses a threat to the party's existence.
How the party got a new name
Why KCR changed his party's name is interesting. The former Telangana Chief Minister nursed an ambition to play a key role in national politics. Having a party named after a state appeared to be an inconvenience, and so he replaced 'Telangana' with 'Bharat'. On October 5, 2022, the TRS state committee met and decided to change the name to BRS.
And, it was done in a dramatic manner.
The time for the name change was fixed at 1.19 pm. At the exact moment, a name-change puja was performed and a resolution was passed. Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy also attended the event.
Meetings were organised in Maharashtra to expand the party base, while a committee was formed in Andhra Pradesh. Former Odisha Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang also came on board. KCR, in his enthusiasm, then decided to contest the Karnataka assembly elections but later opted out.
BRS not working in party’s favour
However, the moment thought to be auspicious for the name change did not work in BRS’ favour.
The party lost assembly elections in Telangana, made little impact outside of the state, and the Centre moved to dig up corruption cases involving BRS leaders. The Enforcement Directorate intensified its investigation in the Delhi liquor policy case, which led to KCR's daughter Kavitha’s arrest.
There is a feeling even among the leaders of the party that the name change has brought no gains but only losses. They blame to move for the difficulties the party is facing currently.
How name change dealt a big blow
Former minister and present MLA Kadiam Srihari was one of the first BRS leaders to openly admit in front of the party's working president KT Rama Rao (KCR's son) that the removal of 'Telangana' from the party’s name has alienated the people, resulting in the party’s electoral defeat.
Addressing a preparatory meeting for the Warangal Lok Sabha constituency on January 11, where KTR was also present, Srihari said: "TRS was a party born with Telangana sentiments and as soon as it was changed to BRS, that sentiment was lost. The same was seen in the assembly elections.
"Therefore, the party should revert to the name Telangana Rashtra Samithi to appeal to the people of Telangana again."
Srihari advised KTR to take remedial action as a majority of workers wanted the old name back. BRS leaders said that apart from Srihari, former MP Boianpalli Vinod Kumar has made a pitch for a name change.
Seeking legal opinion
With the BRS facing a crisis in Telangana, there is no possibility of KCR going into national politics, as his top priority is to save the party. Both the Congress and the BJP are working to destroy the BRS, the leaders feel, and speculations are rife that KCR decided against contesting the Lok Sabha elections because of this reason.
"Also, it is heard that Andhra Pradesh BRS president Thota Chandra Sekhar has left the party. Similarly, a Maharashtra BRS leader has joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction. Odisha's Giridhar Gamang has also left the party. So, what else should BRS continue to do?" wondered a senior party leader.
It is in this context that the top party leaders are holding discussions about restoring the old name, TRS, to the party. They are also seeking legal opinion on whether TRS still exists or someone else has registered the party in that name.
“Analysing the reasons of the unexpected defeat in the 2023 assembly elections, 80 per cent of the activists say that the name change was a big deal,” BRS leader Vinod Kumar told The Federal. “We are considering changing the party name back to TRS after parliamentary elections as per the wishes of the majority of workers.”
Name change may cause confusion
However, political analysts say yet another name change may lead to confusion.
“Although the cadre said the party was defeated because of the name change, what does a name mean to the common people?” asked Papa Rao, an analyst. The Telangana sentiment is still there, but people’s focus is on water, income generation and law and order, he observed. “Suppose another leader has registered his party as TRS, how will BRS take it?” he asked.
Karra Yadava Reddy, a Telangana activist from Warangal district and former president of a Railway workers union, said the name change was not the reason for the BRS' defeat. Rampant land-grabbing by some BRS leaders made people angry, he added.
He further said the name change exercise is just an excuse to hide the party's failures.
