Will KCR change name of TRS for national foray?

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti’s name will be changed in case TRS supremo and Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao’s plans to form a national party do materialise. In his relentless pursuit of Delhi dreams, Rao is understood to have more or less made up his mind to transform the TRS into a national party.According to sources, as many as four names, including Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Nava Bharat Party and Jai Bharat, are under consideration for the proposed national party.

“Once the national party is floated, the name of the TRS too will be changed,” said a senior TRS leader, who attended the meeting with the Chief Minister at Pragathi Bhavan on Friday.  “But the party’s flag and its pink colour will remain the same,” the leader told Express on Saturday.

He, however, said that the election symbol — car —  would remain the same. Once the TRS becomes a national party, it would approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allot the car symbol to the new party. The new party will strive to build a national alternative to the BJP-led NDA dispensation which Chandrasekhar Rao believes has failed to deliver.  

The Telangana map on the TRS flag may be replaced with a map of India. Bharat Maata’s photo may also be placed on the flag. This is to counter the BJP’s nationalistic outlook.The CM is contemplating to deal a preemptive blow to the BJP by announcing the national party ahead of BJP’s national executive meeting to be held in Hyderabad on July 2 and 3.

When Rao disclosed his intentions to float the national party, th-ere was confusion initially over whether there would be two political parties in Telangana. However, sources clarified that only one party would exist and not two parties. According to sources, the TRS chief will have further discussions on the idea at the state executive meeting on June 19. “KCR is determined to float the national party. A clear picture will em-erge by June-end,” TRS sources said.

NTR had planned to start Bharata Desam Party

In the past, the then Chief Minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and TDP founder NT Rama Rao planned to start a Bharata Desam Party. But, those plans never materialised.If the name of the TRS is changed, the pink party will be the first regional party in the country to do so. None of the other regional parties that expanded as national parties changed their names. However, the TRS cannot be expanded with its present name, as it limits its operations to Telangana State only.

Rao initially held discussions with the leaders of Left parties and leaders of other regional parties for building a third force in the country. Some of these parties were in touch with the Congress, which is a major political rival for TRS in the State. Thus, Rao changed his plans and opposed the very idea of starting a third front or fourth front.

“It is not important who will come to power at the Centre every five years. It is not about one Front replacing another at the Centre. There should be a meaningful and practical change in the lives of people. There should be a qualitative change in the country,” Rao declared recently and decided to float his own national outfit.

The TRS office would be inaugurated in Delhi shortly, as the construction of the party office building is nearing completion. After the building is in place, Rao may shuttle between Hyderabad and Delhi.
He is also expected to conduct meetings with economists and retired All India Service (AIS) officers shortly.