EC Rejects Kavitha’s TRS Party Name, Seeks Three Alternatives After 700 Objections
HYDERABAD: The Election Commission has rejected Kalvakuntla Kavitha’s application to register Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) as a political party after receiving nearly 700 objections to the proposed name. The commission directed her to submit three alternative names within two weeks. If she fails to do so, it will cancel the registration process.
Kavitha launched the new party in April with a name and acronym similar to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the party founded by her father, K Chandrasekhar Rao. The party changed its name to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in 2022.
Sources said the Election Commission asked the party to propose three new names. However, leaders close to Kavitha said the commission forwarded only two formal objections. One came from the Siddipet-based Telangana Rajya Samithi, a registered political party. The other came from a Solapur-based organisation that also uses the TRS acronym.
“We have asked the EC for details of all the objections. The party is ready to clarify every objection raised over the title TRS,” a source in Kavitha’s party said.
The source added that the party would explore legal options if the Election Commission finally rejects the proposed name.
Objections focus on TRS acronym
Kavitha unveiled the party and its flag at a convention centre on the outskirts of Hyderabad on April 25. She also announced several party committees.
As part of the registration process, the party published notices inviting objections in an English newspaper on May 1 and a Hindi newspaper on May 3.
According to sources, most objections focused on the use of the acronym “TRS.” The Telangana Rajya Samithi and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi were among those that opposed the proposed name.
BRS says name may confuse voters
The BRS argued that the TRS acronym remains closely linked to the Telangana statehood movement. It said many people, especially in rural Telangana, still identify the party by its former name despite the 2022 rebranding.
The party urged the Election Commission not to allot the TRS acronym to another political party. It argued that doing so could confuse voters during elections.
Meanwhile, a Solapur-based organisation, Telangana Rastrasamajika Senna (TRS), also applied for registration with the Election Commission in April. The commission will decide on that application separately.
