KCR’s national aspirations set political circles abuzz

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s recent comments that his party, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), would attempt to emerge as a national political alternative has set political circles abuzz, with speculation rife over his entry into the national political landscape.

Addressing the party’s 21st Foundation Day celebrations on Wednesday, KCR, as the CM is popularly known, said: “What is required and desirable are not political fronts. Many such fronts have come, what happened? Not political realignment, what is required is an alternative agenda.” The CM hinted at the possibility of floating a pan-India, political party saying that there were suggestions to convert the TRS into the BRS (Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi).

He also appeared to reject the idea of floating a third front. “What India now requires is not political fronts or political realignments with the sole agenda of pulling down the Bharatiya Janata Party from power at the Centre. So many fronts had come and gone in the past. But there was no use,” he said.

If KCR intends to float a pan-India party, then he has a tall task in front of him, experts said. As per the Election Commission of India, a registered party is recognised as a national party only if it wins two per cent of the seats in the Lok Sabha (11 MP seats) from at least three different states; or polls at least six percent of votes in four states in Lok Sabha or state assembly elections besides winning four Lok Sabha seats from any state or states; or if it gets recognition as a state party in four or more states.

“Just by converting TRS into BRS, it cannot become the national party. It has to fulfil any of the conditions set by the EC. If it has to win seats in other states, it has a long way to go, leave alone implementing the alternative agenda all over the country,” Political analyst Sriram Karri said.

On Thursday, TRS legislator Balka Suman gave hinted that the party might contest the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections. “If necessary, we shall show our strength in the Gujarat elections and teach a lesson to the BJP,” he said, adding that the ultimate objective of KCR is to build a new India.

However, the Opposition ridiculed KCR’s ambitions of projecting himself as an alternative at the national level. “Let him convert the TRS into BRS. Who is stopping him? In any case, the people of Telangana have decided to offer him VRS (voluntary retirement scheme),” Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay said.

On Wednesday, KCR also hit out at the sole agenda floated by some parties of bringing down the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

“We are not here to dislodge somebody and make Yellaiah or Mallaiah as the Prime Minister. We shall strike for an alternative people’s agenda that can lead the country into the path of progress and development. It is with this agenda that there is a possibility of a new political power emerging,” he said, adding that the TRS would take the initiative in that direction.

KCR’s statement has created confusion in the TRS ranks, party insiders said. A senior party leader, who requested anonymity, said till the other day, the CM was giving a call to the people to pull down the Narendra Modi government. “Now, when he says his agenda is not to dislodge the BJP has surprised us,” he said.

Karri said the lack of response from other chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states and presidents of other regional parties to KCR’s initiative to float a federal front seems to have changed his mind.

Recently, when leaders of 13 non-BJP parties including Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee issued a joint statement to express their concerns at incidents of communal violence in different parts of the country, they did not include KCR in the list. “It was clear that they did not buy KCR’s argument to keep the Congress away from the proposed front. This might have prompted him to decide on going alone with his national agenda,” Karri said.

Telangana Congress campaign committee chairman and ex-MP Madhu Yashki said it was a ploy on part of KCR to mislead the people. “It is all a big drama to mislead the people that he is opposed to both the Congress and the BJP, so that he can get votes in the triangular fight,” Yashki said.

Former Osmania University professor and analyst Dr K Nageshwar said KCR won’t venture into national politics at least before the next year’s assembly elections in the state.

“He subtly said the process for an alternative political agenda at the national level has to begin. His first priority is to win the assembly elections in 2023. Only after that he will take any call on national politics,” Nageshwar said.

Agreeing with him, Karri said since KCR will be taking on both the Congress and the BJP in Telangana, he cannot befriend either of them at the national level. Since other anti-BJP parties want an alliance with the Congress, he wants to project that he alone will emerge as an alternative to the BJP at the national level.

“Thus, all politics of KCR are about essentially ensuring a win in the assembly in 2023 before anything definitive will happen for 2024,” Karri added