K Chandrashekar Rao has already said he intends to play a role in national politics.
As Telangana's ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti steps formally into adulthood, celebrating 21 years of its formation, party president K Chandrashekar Rao has decided it is time for the party to step out of its domestic turf and venture into national politics.
Addressing party leaders at the TRS plenary in Hyderabad today, Mr Rao said some legislators have expressed the view that it is time for TRS to change into BRS (Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti). It was met with loud cheers from the 3000-odd party leaders who had gathered at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, HICC at Hyderabad.
As though taking a step in that direction, one of the 11 resolutions being moved at the plenary today was an intent for the TRS to play a crucial role in national politics. Mr Rao has already said he intends to play a role in national politics.
The TRS, he said, has already acquired land and is building an impressive party office in the national capital.
Mr Rao, however, dismissed the idea of political fronts, saying there have been multiple fronts in the past which have not yielded much.
"I'm not talking about political parties coming together. People ask me what Front I am setting up. I am setting up a People's Front. We need common agenda, new integrated agricultural and industrial policy,'' he said.
"What we need is a people's agenda and not a front where two to three Chief Ministers come together. People were skeptical when we spoke about Telangana 21 years ago. They ridiculed us. Look where we are now. That is the kind of process we want to unfold for the nation too,'' KCR said.
Another resolution at the plenary was on opposing communal politics. Without naming any other party, Mr Rao said communal politics and divisions are being used for political gains. He gave the example of Bengaluru and Delhi to say how polarising and divisive politics impacts the country's image.
"30 lakh people work in Bengaluru in top jobs, in IT sector etc. Another 30 lakh jobs get supported because of this. But in Karnataka, they are questioning what you wear, what you eat," Mr Rao said.
"Even during Covid we told our migrant workers that they are partners in our progress. We provided them the same rations as our people, arranged for transport for them to go home. So all of them returned to work,'' he said.