Small parties spot chance dent as BRS quits T space

Adilabad: A change in name is obviously creating an identity crisis for the ruling party in Telangana state and some regional entities have begun efforts to cash in on this.

These as-yet-unpopular political parties are raising the missing of ‘Telangana’ in the ruling party’s name -- after the TRS changed itself into the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and its leader KCR announced his foray into national politics.

Leaders of these political parties hope that the Telangana protagonists who powered the separate Telangana statehood agitation and those who are critical of TRS and its policies in the new state may now be seeking an alternative political entity to uphold the identity of Telangana State.

Chief minister KCR’s critics and opponents are asking what relevance the BRS has to Telangana state, its political and social identity and protection of the rights of Telangana.

The “missing Telangana” aspect is being highlighted by the parties of leaders who were part of the Telangana agitation like TJS (Telangana Jana Samiti) of Prof Kodandaram and ‘Telangana Rakshana Samiti’ (TRS) led by its state president Narala Satyanarayana. 

These parties had existed under the shadow of the TRS after the 2014 formation of TS. This apart, the once-powerful Telugu Desam party is also making efforts for a revival of the party in Telangana.

Analysts say that in the next elections, there would be a high demand for tickets of these unpopular political parties with the Telangana tag on them in a scenario of multi-candidate fights and when aspirants for tickets from the BRS get disillusioned and look at other parties for candidature.

Prof Kodandaram said the TRS party and its leadership have insulted the people of Telangana and their aspirations as also the Telangana martyrs by refashioning the TRS into BRS and removing the ‘Telangana’ identity from the party.

TJS is planning to start an agitation on the Dharani portal, the podu lands issues, demanding welfare schemes for tenant farmers and against diversion of the Gram panchayat funds by the KCR-led government. 

Telangana  Rakshana Samiti has used Prof Jayashankar's photos on its party flag comprising green and pink colours and claims it followed the values he taught to the people of Telangana.

Telangana Rakshana Samiti is appointing assembly constituency in-charges across the state. Recently, Jugnaka Sunitha was appointed as in-charge for the Khanapur constituency reserved for STs.

These leaders are explaining how the TRS changed into BRS by keeping aside the aspirations of the people of Telangana and insisting on the need to fight for Telangana’s rights and fulfill the aspirations of the people.

On the other hand, the TJS party president who worked as a chairman of  Telangana JAC along with the TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao is intensifying the party’s activities in the district against the backdrop of creation of BRS.

Kodandaram is likely to launch a yatra by reviving his old relations with the leaders of various castes, the youth, teachers and trade unions, TNGOs, women, BCs, and Dalit organisations in TS, with whom he interacted closely during the Telangana agitation.