The party is likely to be called Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti, or BRS.
A day before Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, launches his national party, a video of a leader distributing whiskey and chicken has gone viral.
In the video, shared by news agency ANI, Telangana Rashtra Samiti leader Rajanala Srihari was seen handing out liquor bottles and live chicken to locals in Warangal. With a big cutout of KCR on the transport vehicle stacked with the freebies, the leader can be seen personally handing it out to people who had gathered in a long queue. He also posed for pictures.
The Chief Minister's office, however, said that it has nothing to do with the national party formation. It's a tradition to celebrate Dussehra with chicken and liquor, so a local leader was distributing it, they clarified.
With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, KCR is set to announce his national party on Dussehra. He is said to have discussed the roadmap for the launch of the national party.
An extended meeting of the TRS legislature party and state executive committee is expected to happen on Wednesday at Telangana Bhavan, in which a resolution will be moved on TRS becoming a national party. It is likely to be called Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti, or BRS.
The resolution seeking renaming of the TRS will be sent to the Election Commission. As a state-recognised party, the TRS can contest in any state.
Based on its performance in the upcoming 2024 national election, the TRS can seek national party status. Even before that it can get a national party status by getting six per cent votes in four or more states in the assembly elections.
KCR reportedly told senior party leaders that the BRS would emerge as an alternative to the BJP at the national level and that it would be a straight fight between the two in 2024.
The party is likely to contest assembly elections in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi.
KCR is reportedly planning a massive rally in Delhi on December 9 when the BRS would be officially launched in the presence of organisations and leaders supporting it.
The Telangana Chief Minister has not held back in attacking the BJP repeatedly. He has also toured several Opposition ruled states and met prominent leaders in an attempt to stitch together a coalition of like-minded parties against the BJP.