Bharat Rashtra Samithi

Bharat Rashtra Samithi
AbbreviationBRS
PresidentK. Chandrashekar Rao
ChairpersonK. T. Rama Rao
General SecretaryJoginapally Santosh Kumar
Lok Sabha LeaderNama Nageswara Rao
Rajya Sabha LeaderK. Keshava Rao
FounderK. Chandrashekar Rao
Founded
  • 27 April 2001
    (22 years ago)
     (2001-04-27); as Telangana Rashtra Samithi
  • 5 October 2022
    (17 months ago)
     (2022-10-05); as Bharat Rashtra Samithi
Split fromTelugu Desam Party
HeadquartersTelangana Bhavan, Bhavani Nagar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana - 500034[1]
NewspaperNamasthe Telangana, Telangana Today[2]
Student wingBharat Rashtra Samithi Vidyarthi (BRSV)[3]
Women's wingBharat Rashtra Samithi Mahila (BRSM)
IdeologyPopulism[4]
Federalism[5]
Neoliberalism[6]
Historical:
Centrism[7]
Political positionCentre[8]
ColoursPink
ECI StatusState Party[9]
Alliance
Seats in Lok Sabha
3 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha
5 / 245
Seats in Telangana Legislative Assembly
37 / 119
Seats in Telangana Legislative Council
27 / 40
Number of states and union territories in government
0 / 31
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
https://brsonline.in/
https://www.brs.party

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (transl. Indian National Council; abbr. BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi (abbr. TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana and currently the primary opposition party in the state. It was founded on 27 April 2001 as by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.[15] It has been instrumental in carrying forth a sustained agitation for the granting of statehood to Telangana.[16]

In the 2014 Telangana Assembly Election, the party won a majority of seats and formed the first government of the State with K. Chandrashekar Rao as its chief minister. In the 2014 general election the party won 11 seats, making it the eighth largest party in Lok Sabha, the lower house (lok sabha) of the Indian Parliament.

After a landslide victory in 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, the party formed the government in the State for the second time.[17] In the 2019 Indian general election, the party's tally had fallen to nine seats in the Lok Sabha.[18] As of February 2023, the party holds seven seats in upper house of Rajya Sabha.[19]

The name of the party was changed from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi on 5 October 2022.[20][21]

Ideology

Historical flag of Bharat Rashtra Samithi

On 27 April 2001, Rao resigned as Deputy Speaker of the Telugu Desam Party.[22] He opined that Telangana people were being categorically discriminated against within the undivided State of Andhra Pradesh. Consequently, Rao argued that only the creation of a separate State of Telangana would allow for the alleviation of the people's predicament.[23] Accordingly, KCR founded the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Party at Jala Drushyam, Hyderabad in April 2001, with the objective of achieving statehood for Telangana.[22] The party initially won one-third of Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) and one-quarter of Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC) in Siddipet within sixty days of the formation of the party.[24]

Politics

Logo in use under the party's original name

2004 elections

In the aftermath of 2004 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the party won 26 state assembly seats and also won five parliament seats. The TRS formed an alliance with Indian National Congress and joined the United Progressive Alliance. In September 2006, the party withdrew support for the central government on the grounds of indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana.[25] On 13 September 2006, Rao triggered a by-election in his Lok Sabha constituency of Karimnagar, claiming provocation from Congress MLA M. Satyanarayana Rao and citing delay in the formation of Telangana state, as promised by Congress in its 2004 manifesto.[26] He won the subsequent by-election with a strong majority.[27] All TRS MLAs and MPs resigned their positions in April 2008 when the Central government did not meet their demand for a separate state in its latest budget session.[28] The by-election was held on 29 May 2008. In the 2008 by-elections, TRS retained only seven out of the 16 assembly segments and two out of the four Lok Sabha segments that it resigned, a significant defeat for the party.[29][30] TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao offered to resign after the by-election losses, but instead remained in office after other party leaders rejected the resignation.[30]

2009 elections

In 2009, TRS formed an alliance with TDP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.[31] The party contested 45 assembly and nine parliament seats to win only ten assembly and two parliament seats. This was considered another major defeat.

2014 elections

In the 2014 Assembly and National Elections, TRS did not align with NDA or UPA and fought the elections on its own. TRS, which led the campaign for a separate State for more than a decade, emerged victorious by winning 11 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats and 63 of the 119 Assembly seats, and emerged as the party with the largest vote share in Telangana. The TRS' campaign had no other stars except KCR who addressed over 300 public meetings, heli-hopping around and often addressing more than 10 meetings in a single day. The TRS not only retained its north Telangana stronghold but also made inroads in south Telangana, a Congress bastion.[32]

It was only after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, and the creation of separate Telangana state that the party begun to deliver electoral success. TRS won 63 out of 110 seats it contested in the 2014 Assembly elections in the newly formed state, and went on to form the government.[33] K. Chandrashekar Rao, had taken oath as the first Chief Minister of the new state of Telangana on 2 June 2014.

2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly elections

The TRS Government headed by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on 6 September 2018 dissolved the Legislative Assembly, the first after the formation of Telangana, to pave the way for early elections in the state.[34] The party has announced a list of 104 candidates for elections on the same day.[35]

In the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, held the nearly three months after the house dissolution, the TRS party won the assembly elections with massive majority. Won with 88 constituency seats which is more than 70% of 119 seats.[33]

2019 Indian general election

In May 2019, TRS Chief Rao flouted the idea of Federal Front, aiming for a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the centre.[36] The party won nine out of the contested 17 seats, a reduction of two seats from the 2014 election.[37]

Bharat Rashtra Samithi

The name of the party was changed from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi on 5 October 2022 to foray into national politics ahead of Next Indian general election.[20][21] On 6 October 2022, officials from BRS submitted the relevant documents required for name change according to the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to the Election Commission of India in New Delhi.[38] As of October 2022, the party activities are taking place from a rented building at Sardar Patel Marg in Delhi. On 14 November the party office was inaugurated at New Delhi.[39][40]

Andhra Pradesh unit

The party created its local unit in the residual Andhra Pradesh state on 2 January 2023. Dr. Thota Chandrasekhar, former general secretary of the Jana Sena Party, was named its president. Other leaders from Andhra Pradesh who joined the party on the on its state unit's formation include former minister Ravela Kishore Babu, former IRS official Partha Sarathi, and former Praja Rajyam Party leader T. J. Prakash.[41][42]

The state unit suffered a setback in April 2023 when the Election Commission of India derecognised the BRS as a state party in Andhra Pradesh. The party had been enjoying state party status in Undivided Andhra Pradesh since 2004, and then in the states of residual Andhra Pradesh and Telangana since 2014.[43]

The party plans to contest the Next Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election in 2024.[43]

Membership

TRS Party president K Chandrasekhar Rao announced a schedule for the membership drive, which began on 3 February 2015, and elections to party committees from the village level. After a spectacular victory in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, The TRS Party is now focused on strengthening it in the state.

KCR said the TRS Membership Drive 2015[44] would continue until 20 February. Elections to party committees at different levels would be held during March and April.

TRS party officially started registration process to get membership from 3 February 2015.[45]

Legislative leaders

List of chief ministers

Chief Minister of Telangana

No. Portrait Name
(Birth)
Term in office Assembly Constituency Ministry
Assumed office Left office Time in office
1 K. Chandrashekar Rao
(1954–)
2 June 2014 12 December 2018 9 years, 188 days 1st Gajwel Rao I
13 December 2018 6 December 2023 2nd Rao II

Deputy Chief Ministers of Telangana

S.No. Name Portrait Took office Left office Term Chief Minister
1 M. Mahmood Ali 2 June 2014[46] 12 December 2018 4 years, 193 days K. Chandrashekar Rao
2 T. Rajaiah 2 June 2014 25 January 2015[47] 237 days
3 Kadiyam Srihari 25 January 2015[48] 12 December 2018 3 years, 321 days

Leadership

List of presidents
S.No. Portrait Name Term
(tenure length)
Duration Ref.
1 K. Chandrashekar Rao 27 April 2001 – Incumbent 22 years, 11 months and 1 day
List of working presidents
S.No. Portrait Name Term
(tenure length)
Duration Ref.
1 K. T. Rama Rao 15 December 2018 – Incumbent 5 years, 3 months and 13 days [49]

Electoral performance

Lok Sabha Election

Vote share in consecutive Lok Sabha elections
2004
0.63%
2009
0.61%
2014
1.22%
2019
1.25%
Year Legislature Party leader Seats contested Seats won Change in seats Percentage of votes Vote swing Popular vote Outcome Ref.
2004 14th Lok Sabha K. Chandrashekar Rao 22
5 / 545
Increase5 0.63% Steady new 2,441,405 Government [50]
2009 15th Lok Sabha 9
2 / 543
Decrease3 0.62% Decrease 0.01% 2,582,326 Others [51]
2014 16th Lok Sabha 17
11 / 543
Increase9 1.22% Increase 0.6% 6,736,270 Others [51]
2019 17th Lok Sabha 17
9 / 543
Decrease2 1.25% Increase 0.03% 7,696,848 Others [37]

State Legislative Assembly elections

Election Year Overall votes % of overall votes Seats contested Seats won +/- in seats +/- in vote share Outcome Ref
United Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
2004 2,390,940 6.68% 54
26 / 294
Increase 26 Steady new Government [52]
2009 1,678,906 3.99% 45
10 / 294
Decrease 16 Decrease 2.69% Opposition [53]
2014 6,620,326 13.68% 119
63 / 294
Increase 53 - Government [a] [54]
Telangana Legislative Assembly
2018 9,700,479 46.9% 119
88 / 119
Increase 25 - Government [33]
2023 8,753,924 37.35% 119
39 / 119
Decrease 49 Decrease 9.55% Opposition [55]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Outcome-Government is restricted to Telangana

References

  1. ^ "Contact". TRS. 28 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Telangana's newest English daily likely to serve as KCR's mouthpiece". Hindustan Times. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  3. ^ "KCR to give key posts for BRSV student leaders". Telanganatoday.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  4. ^ "One year of Telangana a mixed bag for KCR". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 21 July 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by Chandrasekhar Rao, took over the reins of the new state amid euphoria and high expectations. ... Blending boldness with populism, KCR has earned the reputation for being a tough task master
  5. ^ "PM only paying lip-service to federalism: TRS". Moneycontrol.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019. We would have believed, we would have hoped that he being former Chief Minister himself would have empowered states much much more because stronger the states, stronger the country; that's true federalism; can't just be federalism for lip-service.
  6. ^ "'BLF to challenge TRS, BJP's neo-liberal agenda'". The Hindu. speakers expressed their firm belief in a Bahujan Left Front (BLF) to bring an end to the pro-liberal economic policies of Telangana Rashtra Samithi government.
  7. ^ "Centrist Polity, Decentred Politics". 12 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Centrist Polity, Decentred Politics". 12 February 2016.
  9. ^ "List of Political Parties and Election Symbols main Notification Dated 18.01.2013" (PDF). India: Election Commission of India. 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  10. ^ "TRS to join Cong govt in AP | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. PTI. 15 June 2004. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  11. ^ "TRS ends suspense, joins TDP-led alliance | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  12. ^ "TRS formally joins NDA fold". Hindustan Times. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Left, TRS will contest next polls together: Telangana CPM secretary Tammineni". The New Indian Express. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  14. ^ "TRS To Continue Alliance With Left Parties: Jagadish Reddy". IND Today. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Telangana finds a new man and moment". The Hindu.[dead link]
  16. ^ "Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) – Party History, Symbol, Founders, Election Results and News". Elections.in. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  17. ^ "Telangana Election Results 2018: TRS wins 88 seats, KCR set to return for a second term". The Financial Express. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Election Results 2019 Telangana: TRS wins 9 out of 17 seats | As it happened". India Today. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  19. ^ Khan, Fatima (8 September 2020). "Congress eyes Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson post but numbers pose a challenge". ThePrint. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  20. ^ a b "TRS renamed as 'Bharat Rashtra Samithi' as CM KCR eyes national politics". mint. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  21. ^ a b "TRS is now BRS: All about KCR's 'national party' Bharat Rashtra Samithi". The Economic Times. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Dy. Speaker resigns, launches new outfit". The Hindu. 28 April 2001. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  23. ^ "Telangana finds a new man and moment". Hinduonnet.com. 19 May 2001. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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  25. ^ "TRS pulls out of UPA alliance, withdraws support to govt". DNA India. 22 August 2006. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  26. ^ Jafri, Syed Amin (7 December 2006). "KCR wins the battle of Telangana". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  27. ^ "TRS President C Rao resigns from LS". Hindustan Times. 12 September 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  28. ^ Menon, Amarnath K. (8 March 2008). "The quit fix". India Today. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  29. ^ "AP by-polls: TRS suffers a setback". India Today. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Andhra bypolls: TRS suffers shocking defeat". www.rediff.com. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  31. ^ "Discontent in TRS over joining NDA". India Today. 13 May 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  32. ^ "TRS wins Telangana". Hyderabad, India: Deccan-Journal. 28 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  33. ^ a b c "Telangana Election Results 2018: TRS wins 88 seats, KCR set to return for a second term". The Financial Express. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  34. ^ "Telangana Assembly dissolved; Stage set for early polls in Telangana". Indtoday.com. 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  35. ^ "KCR announces TRS list of 105 candidates for Telangana Elections 2019". Indtoday.com. 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  36. ^ "Federal Front: TRS chief KCR aims for non-BJP, non-Cong front; to meet Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan today". www.timesnownews.com. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  37. ^ a b "KCR's TRS wins 9 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana; BJP a surprise winner in 4". Zee News. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  38. ^ Bureau, The Hindu; N 6661, Rahul (6 October 2022). "Resolution on BRS handed over to EC". The Hindu.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  39. ^ Service, Indo-Asian News (7 October 2022). "BRS to commence activities in Delhi from rented building". The Siasat Daily.
  40. ^ Roushan Ali (14 December 2022). "KCR | BRS Party Office: Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurates BRS party office in New Delhi | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  41. ^ "BRS forms Andhra Pradesh unit with local leaders". The Statesman. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  42. ^ Service, Indo-Asian News (2 January 2023). "BRS makes foray into Andhra Pradesh, KCR appoints state chief". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  43. ^ a b "Losing state party status derails BRS plans for Andhra Pradesh". www.daijiworld.com. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  44. ^ Telangana (4 February 2015). "How To Join TRS Party - Telangana State". Telanganastateinfo.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  45. ^ "How To Join Telangana Rashtra Samithi". Telanganastateinfo.com. 4 February 2015. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  46. ^ "KCR keeps his promise; Mehmood Ali becomes first Deputy CM of Telangana". Two Circles. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  47. ^ "Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Rajaiah sacked". The Hindu. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  48. ^ "Kodiyam Srikari: As EDUCATION MINISTER & DEPUTY CM". Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  49. ^ "KT Rama Rao appointed TRS working president". The Times of India. 14 December 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  50. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  51. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  52. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  53. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  54. ^ "Election Results 2014: TDP, TRS Win Seemandhra, Telangana Assembly Polls". NDTV.com. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  55. ^ "Telangana Election Results 2023 Highlights: Congress Wins 64 Seats, BRS Gets 39, BJP 8". NDTV.com. Retrieved 4 December 2023.

External links

  • Official website
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