Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao gears up for 2024 Lok Sabha polls, to launch national party this month

Hyderabad: Ahead of the election for the next President of India, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is all set to launch a national party this month, said an ANI report citing sources, which further revealed that the name of the new political party is likely to be `Bharatiya Rastra Samiti`. Recently, KCR had met several opposition leaders, and the move is seen as a longer stride to gather opposition leaders just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Last month, Chandrashekhar Rao held a meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in the national capital and discussed the current national issues while he met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to visit the Mohalla clinic in Delhi. The Telangana Chief Minister had also met JD-S leader HD Deve Gowda on May 26 and said that there will be a change at the national level which cannot be stopped.

In a bid to forge an anti-BJP alliance (third front) with all the like-minded parties excluding Congress, KCR embarked on an India tour where he also ventured into national-level meetings and events and gathered every brick en route to his bigger aim to foray into national politics. He is reportedly making attempts to seek support from all the Indians living abroad. 

According to reports, Telangana NRIs from across the world unanimously adopted a resolution in support of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao`s decision to foray into national politics.Telangana NRIs coordinator B Ganesh moved a resolution seeking the support of NRIs to TRS Supremo and KCR`s move to enter into national politics in a Zoom meeting attended by NRIs from different countries. 

Last month, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a day-long visit to Hyderabad, Chandrashekar Rao flew down to Bengaluru, causing much dissatisfaction among BJP leaders. This was the second time that the Telangana Chief Minister skipped meeting PM Modi, breaching the protocol at the airport. Earlier in February, KCR had skipped meeting PM Modi at the airport when he had visited Hyderabad to unveil the statue of equality at Muchintal. Rao had cited health reasons.

During his Hyderabad visit, PM Modi had taken a jibe at KCR and parties ruled by families, KCR too, without naming anyone, stated that change at the national level was inevitable and "nobody can stop it". "We've discussed national and Karnataka politics issues. There'll be a change at the national level and nobody can stop it...Tribals, farmers and the poor aren't happy in the country. Industries are getting closed, GDP is crashing, inflation is rising and the rupee's value is falling," the Telangana CM reportedly stated in Bengaluru.

It may be noted that the election for the next President of India will be held on July 18 in which 4,809 electors comprising MPs and MLAs will vote to elect incumbent Ram Nath Kovind's successor. Going by its strength in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as well as in many state assemblies, the BJP is in a comfortable position to ensure the victory of the candidate nominated by it in the upcoming election, but opposition is making an effort to field a candidate against the ruling alliance. 

According to the Election Commission announcement, the nominations can be filed till June 29 after the issue of notification on June 15. Counting for the poll will take place on July 21, after all ballots from states are brought to the national capital.

(With ANI Inputs)