It will be Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and not the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which will be contesting the by-election to Munugode assembly seat in Nalgonda district, scheduled to be held on November 3.
This was made clear by former MP and Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar in New Delhi on Thursday, after meeting the officials of the Election Commission of India.
Vinod, who along with other senior party leaders, submitted a letter to the EC communicating the change of name of the TRS as BRS, along with the copy of the resolution adopted to this effect at the TRS state general body meeting held at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday.
The ECI officials apparently told Vinod that it would not be possible to accept the change of name of the party, as the commission would have to follow certain procedures.
“Since it will take some time, for now, the TRS will continue to be in existence,” he said.
Vinod said since the nomination process for the by-election to Munugode assembly seat will begin on Friday, the party will contest the by-election in the name of TRS, instead of BRS.
“Our party’s election symbol will continue to “car” and there is no change in the party manifesto or campaign,” he said.
In fact, while announcing the change of name, the Telangana chief minister said the party would go to Munugode by-poll as BRS and not TRS.
However, since the EC did not give instant approval, it is now compelled to fight the polls in the name of the TRS.
“In fact, it is not a complicated procedure. It is like changing the name of a person which requires a due process. Similarly, we only changed the name of the party. So, there will be no change in the party flag, symbol and constitution. But we have to wait for the approval of the EC for name change,” the former MP said.
