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Bharat Rashtra Samithi

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Bharat Rashtra Samithi
AbbreviationBRS
PresidentK. Chandrashekar Rao
ChairmanK. T. Rama Rao
General SecretaryJoginapally Santosh Kumar
Rajya Sabha LeaderK. R. Suresh Reddy
FounderK. Chandrashekar Rao
Founded
  • 27 April 2001
    (23 years ago)
     (2001-04-27); as Telangana Rashtra Samithi
  • 5 October 2022
    (2 years ago)
     (2022-10-05); renamed 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]
Political positionCentre[7] to centre-right[6]
ColoursPink
ECI StatusState Party[8]
Alliance
Seats in Lok Sabha
0 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha
3 / 245
Seats in Telangana Legislative Assembly
28 / 119
Seats in Telangana Legislative Council
21 / 40
Number of states and union territories in government
0 / 31
Party flag
Website
https://brsonline.in/

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 by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.[13] It has been instrumental in carrying forth a sustained agitation for the granting of statehood to Telangana.[14]

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.[15] In the 2019 Indian general election, the party's tally had fallen to nine seats in the Lok Sabha.[16] As of September 2024, the party holds four seats in upper house of Rajya Sabha.[17]

Later on 5 October 2022, the name of the party was changed from Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi to foray into the national politics.[18][19] After suffering a decisive defeat in the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, the party was restricted to winning only 39 seats in the state of Telangana.[20]

Ideology

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Historical flag of Bharat Rashtra Samithi

On 27 April 2001, Rao resigned as Deputy Speaker of the Telugu Desam Party.[21] 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.[22] Accordingly, KCR founded the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Party at Jala Drushyam, Hyderabad in April 2001, with the objective of achieving statehood for Telangana.[21] 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.[23]

Politics

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Logo in use under the party's original name

2004 elections

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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.[24] 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.[25] He won the subsequent by-election with a strong majority.[26] 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.[27] 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.[28][29] 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.[29]

2009 elections

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In 2009, TRS formed an alliance with TDP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.[30] 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

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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.[31]

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.[32] 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 election

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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.[33] The party announced a list of 104 candidates for elections on the same day.[34]

In the 2018 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, held three months after the house dissolution, the TRS party won with a massive majority. They won 88 seats, more than 70% of the 119 total.[32]

2019 Indian general election

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In May 2019, TRS Chief Rao flouted the idea of Federal Front, aiming for a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the centre.[35] The party won nine out of the contested 17 seats, a reduction of two seats from the 2014 election.[36]

2022-present: Name change, electoral setbacks

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Bharat Rashtra Samithi

[edit]

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 the 2024 Indian general election.[18][19] 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.[37] 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.[38][39]

Andhra Pradesh unit

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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.[40][41]

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.[42]

2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election

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At the 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election, the party lost their majority, with their vote share falling by 10.52% to 37.35% and their seat count falling from 88 to 39. They retained their seats in the Greater Hyderabad region, but lost most of their seats in the rest of the state to Congress, who won 64 seats and formed the next government.

2024 Indian general election

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The party suffered a further setback at the 2024 Indian General Election. Despite their previous national ambitions, the party only contested in Telangana. However, they were wiped out, losing all 9 of their seats in the state. The party's vote share was over cut in half from 41.71% to 16.68%.

Legislative leaders

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List of chief ministers

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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

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S.No. Name Portrait Took office Left office Term Chief Minister
1 M. Mahmood Ali 2 June 2014[43] 12 December 2018 4 years, 193 days K. Chandrashekar Rao
2 T. Rajaiah 2 June 2014 25 January 2015[44] 237 days
3 Kadiyam Srihari 25 January 2015[45] 12 December 2018 3 years, 321 days

List of Union Ministers

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No. Minister Portfolio Term in Office Constituency
(House)
Prime Minister
Assumed Office Left Office Time in Office
1 K. Chandrashekhar Rao
(1954–)
Minister of Shipping 23 May 2004 25 May 2004 2 days Karimnagar
(Lok Sabha)
Manmohan Singh
Minister without Portfolio 25 May 2004 27 November 2004 186 days
Minister of Labour and Employment 27 November 2004 24 August 2006 1 year, 270 days
2 Ale Narendra
(1946–2014)
Minister of Rural Development
(MoS)
23 May 2004 24 August 2006 2 years, 93 days Medak
(Lok Sabha)

Leadership

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List of presidents
S.No. Portrait Name Term
(tenure length)
Duration Ref.
1 K. Chandrashekar Rao 27 April 2001 – Incumbent 23 years, 6 months and 3 days
List of working presidents
S.No. Portrait Name Term
(tenure length)
Duration Ref.
1 K. T. Rama Rao 15 December 2018 – Incumbent 5 years, 10 months and 15 days [46]

Electoral performance

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Lok Sabha Election

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Vote share in consecutive Lok Sabha elections
2004
0.63%
2009
0.61%
2014
1.22%
2019
1.25%
2024
0.57%
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 [47]
2009 15th Lok Sabha 9
2 / 543
Decrease3 0.62% Decrease 0.01% 2,582,326 Others [48]
2014 16th Lok Sabha 17
11 / 543
Increase9 1.22% Increase 0.6% 6,736,270 Others [48]
2019 17th Lok Sabha 17
9 / 543
Decrease2 1.25% Increase 0.03% 7,696,848 Others [36]
2024 18th Lok Sabha 17
0 / 543
Decrease9 0.57% Decrease 0.68% 3,657,237 [36]

State Legislative Assembly elections

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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 [49]
2009 1,678,906 3.99% 45
10 / 294
Decrease 16 Decrease 2.69% Opposition [50]
2014 6,620,326 13.68% 119
63 / 294
Increase 53 - Government [a] [51]
Telangana Legislative Assembly
2018 9,700,479 46.9% 119
88 / 119
Increase 25 - Government [32]
2023 8,753,924 37.35% 119
39 / 119
Decrease 49 Decrease 9.55% Opposition [52]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Outcome-Government is restricted to Telangana

References

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  1. ^ "Contact". TRS. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Telangana's newest English daily likely to serve as KCR's mouthpiece". Hindustan Times. 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  3. ^ "KCR to give key posts for BRSV student leaders". Telangana Today. 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. ^ a b "'BLF to challenge TRS, BJP's neo-liberal agenda'". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2018. 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. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "TRS to join Cong govt in AP | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. PTI. 15 June 2004. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  10. ^ "TRS ends suspense, joins TDP-led alliance | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 1 February 2009. Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Left, TRS will contest next polls together: Telangana CPM secretary Tammineni". The New Indian Express. 14 November 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  12. ^ "TRS To Continue Alliance With Left Parties: Jagadish Reddy". IND Today. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Telangana finds a new man and moment". The Hindu.[dead link]
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "Telangana Election Results 2018: TRS wins 88 seats, KCR set to return for a second term". The Financial Express. 12 December 2018. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Election Results 2019 Telangana: TRS wins 9 out of 17 seats | As it happened". India Today. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 23 May 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  17. ^ Khan, Fatima (8 September 2020). "Congress eyes Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson post but numbers pose a challenge". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  18. ^ a b "TRS renamed as 'Bharat Rashtra Samithi' as CM KCR eyes national politics". mint. 5 October 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  19. ^ a b "TRS is now BRS: All about KCR's 'national party' Bharat Rashtra Samithi". The Economic Times. 5 October 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  20. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (3 December 2023). "Telangana Assembly election results 2023 | BRS leadership accepts defeat". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ "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)
  23. ^ "Timeline - Telangana Rashtra Samithi". Trspartyonline.org. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  24. ^ "TRS pulls out of UPA alliance, withdraws support to govt". DNA India. 22 August 2006. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  25. ^ Jafri, Syed Amin (7 December 2006). "KCR wins the battle of Telangana". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  26. ^ "TRS President C Rao resigns from LS". Hindustan Times. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  27. ^ Menon, Amarnath K. (8 March 2008). "The quit fix". India Today. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  28. ^ "AP by-polls: TRS suffers a setback". India Today. 1 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  29. ^ a b "Andhra bypolls: TRS suffers shocking defeat". www.rediff.com. 1 June 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  30. ^ "Discontent in TRS over joining NDA". India Today. 13 May 2009. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  31. ^ "TRS wins Telangana". Hyderabad, India: Deccan-Journal. 28 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  32. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  33. ^ "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.
  34. ^ "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.
  35. ^ "Federal Front: TRS chief KCR aims for non-BJP, non-Cong front; to meet Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan today". www.timesnownews.com. 6 May 2019. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  36. ^ a b c "KCR's TRS wins 9 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana; BJP a surprise winner in 4". Zee News. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  37. ^ Bureau, The Hindu; N 6661, Rahul (6 October 2022). "Resolution on BRS handed over to EC". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ Service, Indo-Asian News (7 October 2022). "BRS to commence activities in Delhi from rented building". The Siasat Daily. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  39. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  40. ^ "BRS forms Andhra Pradesh unit with local leaders". The Statesman. 3 January 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  41. ^ Service, Indo-Asian News (2 January 2023). "BRS makes foray into Andhra Pradesh, KCR appoints state chief". The Siasat Daily. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  42. ^ "Losing state party status derails BRS plans for Andhra Pradesh". www.daijiworld.com. 16 April 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  43. ^ "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.
  44. ^ "Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Rajaiah sacked". The Hindu. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  45. ^ "Kodiyam Srikari: As EDUCATION MINISTER & DEPUTY CM". Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  46. ^ "KT Rama Rao appointed TRS working president". The Times of India. 14 December 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  47. ^ "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)
  48. ^ 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)
  49. ^ "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)
  50. ^ "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)
  51. ^ "Election Results 2014: TDP, TRS Win Seemandhra, Telangana Assembly Polls". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  52. ^ "Telangana Election Results 2023 Highlights: Congress Wins 64 Seats, BRS Gets 39, BJP 8". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
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