The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), earlier known as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), once called itself the pride of Telangana. Under K. Chandrashekar Rao’s leadership, the party believed it was unbeatable in the state and powerful in Delhi. KCR even spoke of reshaping national politics and projected himself as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate.
But today, those ambitions look hollow. The party has zero Lok Sabha seats, only four members in the Rajya Sabha, and no role in the Vice Presidential elections. Ironically, the man who once claimed he would lead the nation could not even ensure his party’s participation in a simple Vice Presidential vote.
Now, fresh discussion within the party suggests that BRS’s decision to boycott the Vice Presidential elections is indirectly meant to help the BJP. Political analysts believe this indicates the declining state of BRS. The contrast is striking, while BRS stayed away, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has serious rivalries with Congress in four states, still chose to vote for the INDIA candidate despite distancing itself from the alliance. This further highlights BRS’s political isolation.
In 2014, after Telangana was formed, BRS won 11 of 17 Lok Sabha seats. In 2019, the party won nine seats. But the 2024 elections were a disaster; the party lost every single seat. In the Rajya Sabha too, BRS’s strength fell from seven members to just four. Today, the party has no influence in national politics.
The downfall began in the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections. BRS, which ruled the state for nearly 10 years, dropped from 88 seats in 2018 to only 39 in 2023, while Congress surged to 64 and took power. People rejected KCR’s style of rule, which many saw as dictatorial and focused on his family. His son K.T. Rama Rao and nephew T. Harish Rao were favored, while other leaders and workers were sidelined. People were angered by corruption charges, especially in the Kaleshwaram project, and by his intolerance for dissent.
KCR withdrew to his farmhouse in Gajwel
After the defeat, KCR withdrew to his farmhouse in Gajwel, avoiding party workers and staying silent on the many corruption charges leveled against him and his party leaders. This fueled talk of his retirement. At 71, his health problems may explain his absence. But critics say his silence on Kaleshwaram irregularities and the phone-tapping scandal shows weakness. He also did not respond to the Justice Ghosh Commission’s report, which blamed his decisions, further damaging his image.
Inside the party, confusion and anger have grown. KCR continues to run the party through his family, but this has caused splits. His daughter Kavitha openly rebelled, attacking party leaders in public. Which led to her suspension from the party. This showed KCR’s weak control, and party workers began asking how a leader who cannot manage his daughter can lead the entire party.
Absent LoP
KCR is still the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, which gives him official perks. But he rarely attends sessions. Congress now taunts him, calling him an “absent LoP.” In April 2025, at the BRS silver jubilee rally in Warangal, KCR promised a comeback and said he would fight for the people of Telangana. But five months later, he is still in his farmhouse, silent and away from politics.
BRS, which once claimed it was the voice of Telangana, is now irrelevant both in the state and in Parliament. Its absence in big national contests like the Vice Presidential elections shows how far it has fallen. KCR’s authoritarian style, dependence on family, and refusal to listen have dragged the party from power to near collapse.