KCR is believed to have identified Karnataka, Maharashtra as regions that could strengthen his national ambitions.
NEW DELHI: Though the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) is waiting to get its name officially changed to Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) to enter national politics, it is, meanwhile, trying to mark out favourable areas where the party could turn out to be a dominating force in the coming general elections in 2024.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), the party chief, is believed to have identified two neighbouring, states Karnataka and Maharashtra, as potential regions from where the party could strengthen its national political ambitions. Sources privy to developments in the party claim that the BRS is planning to focus on 93 Lok Sabha seats, 28 of Karnataka, 48 seats of Maharashtra, 17 in Telangana and a few pockets of Tamil Nadu. However, a party insider said, “The party will be laser focused only on 50 LS seats, including Telangana’s 17, as the party leaders are convinced that the BRS will perform well on those seats.”
A political analyst based in Maharashtra said, “Maharashtra has all kinds of parties from left ideology to the right and that too old and well established; people are aware about all the big parties like BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress and they can easily choose between these. Why would they vote for the BRS? KCR is just trying to create an air against the BJP and mobilise people of his state against the saffron party so that he can keep himself in power for the third consecutive term.”
The party is also trying to keep its initial move confined to the two states. Sources claim, there is no plan to spread its political force in Andhra Pradesh. Accepting the public perception in the state, a BRS leader said, “The people in AP are against the Congress and KCR, as they have even held them responsible for the division of the state in 2014.” Consequently, deploying cadre there will yield no electoral results. The party leaders also indicated that it may shun two other adjoining states like Chattisgarh and Orissa.
Party leaders are tight-lipped about any development taking place in the party. The Sunday Guardian tried to contact party legislators who refused to disclose any of the party’s plans. However, the party has, according to BRS leaders, temporarily shelved all its national desires and is currently determined to fight against the BJP in the coming Munugode bypolls to be held on 3 November, after which the KCR will propel his political machinery to spread beyond Telangana. A TRS leader on the condition of anonymity said, “The saffron party is emerging as a strong force there. But we are convinced that the constituency is a Left dominated realm and would eventually vote us to emerge over the saffron brigade.” He further added, “The party will streamline its important steps after the bypolls and also formulate its national agenda.”