TRS, A Big Threat To BRS!

[Anta Assamey]

TRS, the name has gone into the oblivion with the T standing for Telangana being replaced with B, indicating Bharat and becoming Bharat Rashtra Samiti. For nearly two decades, TRS remained the buzzword in the political circles in Telangana when separate statehood was the main agenda for the party. Now, with Telangana being identified as a separate state, TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao changed the name to BRS to expand the scope and ideology of the party.

However, a politician from Telangana is learnt to be trying to breathe life into the TRS again. It is being said that by reviving the TRS, the politician could be trying to beat Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao politically and even during the elections, by creating confusion among the voters. The change of TRS into BRS is registered in books and also recognized by voters in urban areas but in some pockets in rural areas, the voters are still not aware of it.

There is talk that Khammam former MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, who had been raising his voice against the BRS, is trying to float his own political outfit with the name Telangana Rythu Samiti.

There is buzz that the BJP is behind this move by Ponguleti. The name of TRS would create confusion among the voters in the rural areas and the BJP reportedly wants to cash in on the confusion.

During 2019 elections too, there was buzz that the electorate in Telangana was confused over party symbols. A few voters were learnt to have voted for some other parties having symbols resembling a car, which is actually the TRS party symbol. The voters wanted to support the TRS but voted for some other parties, going by the symbols.

Initially, there was talk that Ponguleti would join the BJP after differences cropped up between him and BRS chief KCR. However, there was no progress in that direction. YSRTP leader Vijayamma also claimed that Ponguleti would join their party but even those rumours were put to rest by the politician himself.

Political sources in Khammam said that Ponguleti is not interested in his personal progress but that he is aiming to give a tough competition to KCR. It is also learnt that Ponguleti is meeting senior leaders from erstwhile Khammam, Nalgonda and Warangal districts to garner support to his party and also contest the elections.

It has to be seen how the name of TRS would help Ponguleti or the BJP.