KCR formally launches Bharat Rashtra Samiti after ECI nod, hoists new party flag

Marking the formal launch of TRS into national politics, party supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday, December 9, unfurled the flag of Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS). The Election Commission approved the name change of Telangana Rashtra Samithi to BRS earlier on Thursday. KCR hoisted the BRS flag at the party headquarters in Hyderabad. 

He also signed the official letter in response to the communication received from the ECI the previous day. As announced on Thursday, KCR signed the letter at the scheduled time of 1.20 pm at Telangana Bhavan, the party state headquarters. Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, actor Prakash Raj and several BRS leaders were present on the occasion, including party working president and Minister KT Rama Rao, and MLC K Kavitha. 

Earlier, on his arrival at the party state headquarters, KCR garlanded the statue of Telangana Thalli and participated in a pooja that was organised for the occasion. The Telangana Chief Minister hoisted the new party's flag emblazoned with the map of India and ‘Bharat Rashtra Samithi’ in Telugu and English. Party workers gathered outside the venue, and celebrated the occasion with drum beats and dance. They also set off fireworks and distributed sweets. 

Seeking to expand its electoral footprint beyond Telangana, the TRS in October announced that it was changing its name to BRS. KCR had formed the TRS in 2001 to fight for the formation of a separate state Telangana out of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

With PTI and IANS inputs