BJP, Congress hit out at KCR for renaming TRS to Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Owaisi welcomes

Hyderabad: The Telangana units of BJP and Congress on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for renaming the TRS, and said it was borne out of political greed while AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed it.

Telangana PCC President Revanth Reddy alleged Rao has killed the existence of Telangana, and the rechristening of Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi is to settle family disputes and fulfill political greed.

Claiming that KCR is not eligible to contest elections in Telangana, Reddy said as a son of the soil, he strongly condemned Rao’s "evil ideas".

Telangana BJP chief spokesperson K Krishna Sagar Rao dubbed Chief Minister Rao's national political entry plan a “misadventurism”. While Chandrasekhar Rao struggled to keep "his government operational financially", the national level expansion bid is an unworthy exercise.

"This is not the first time a regional party has nurtured national ambitions. Many regional parties since 1947 have tried and failed. AIADMK, DMK, TDP, SP, BSP, RJD, JD(U), TMC and recently Aam Admi Party are few," he said in a statement.

He said the BJP believes that there's no 'Telangana Model' and it exists only in the "fictitious imagination" of the Chief Minister. One can't sell a model to the nation, which doesn't exist, the BJP spokesperson said.

“I strongly believe CM KCR's initiative will be a self sabotage. Change of the name from TRS to BRS will lead to losing his home turf, while he embarks on a wasteful national ambition,” the BJP leader said.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in a tweet congratulated Rao on his national venture. "My best wishes to the party on their new beginning,” the Hyderabad MP tweeted.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) on Wednesday changed its name to 'Bharat Rashtra Samithi' (BRS), heralding the party's foray into national politics.

A resolution to this effect was passed at the party's general body meeting here. Party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao read out the resolution and announced that the party's general body meet unanimously resolved to change the name.