As Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is getting ready to launch his “national” party – Bharat Rasthtriya Samithi (BRS) shortly, an interesting debate has started in the media circles on what his stand would be on Andhra Pradesh.
If KCR launches a national party, he has to contest elections in at least four states where he should get a minimum of six percent votes.
The TRS leaders are claiming that there have been requests from several states for the launch of a national party by KCR and many leaders are willing to join the party.
Obviously, the proposed BRS would also contest the elections in Andhra Pradesh, which happens to be a Telugu state.
In fact, many times the TRS leaders, including KCR’s son and party working president K T Rama Rao, said there are requests from the Andhra people to expand the TRS to AP.
Now that the BRS is being projected as a national party, nobody would raise an objection if it contests the elections in Andhra. If KCR does it, what will be its impact on the Andhra politics is the topic that is being debated now.
If the BRS contests Andhra elections, the question is what stand KCR will take on issues that have been the bone of contention between Andhra and Telangana – like Krishna and Godavari river water sharing, financial issues and other inter-state disputes.
Secondly, KCR will have to attack his Andhra counterpart Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his party to win the votes and seats. Will he do that, given the friendly relations between him and Jagan? And will Jagan give a space to the BRS in Andhra elections? Maybe, he will as KCR’s entry will further split the anti-establishment vote.
There is every possibility that KCR’s entry into Andhra politics will kick up a row, though he calls his party a national party. In 2018, he kicked up the Telangana sentiment by targeting TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu for contesting the Telangana polls.
Won’t the opposition parties in AP kick up the Andhra sentiment if KCR enters their state? Moreover, the people of Andhra have not forgotten the way KCR abused Andhra people and finally brought pressure on Centre to divide the combined state. Will they accept KCR?
Apparently, KCR discussed all these issues with his senior party leaders and also with former Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar, who came to Pragati Bhavan to discuss the issues with the TRS chief.
If KCR really fights the next elections in AP, it will be an interesting battle!
