BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has firmly ruled out any alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2028 Telangana Assembly elections. In a clear statement, he affirmed that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) will contest the polls independently, putting an end to ongoing speculation about a possible partnership.
Speaking to The Economic Times, Rao said: “There have been three general elections since the formation of Telangana and we have never aligned with any party. There is no change in that position. We will not align with the BJP
This declaration comes amid political chatter in the state, including claims by his sister Kavitha Kalvakuntla—who has formed her own political outfit after rebelling against the party—that certain leaders close to BRS founder and president K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) were pushing the party toward the BJP. KTR’s remarks directly address and dismiss those allegations.
While rejecting a formal electoral alliance, KTR indicated that BRS remains open to issue-based support for the BJP-led central government on specific matters. The party has three Rajya Sabha MPs and has previously backed the Centre on issues such as GST (as did the Congress). However, he described the party’s earlier support for demonetisation as a mistake from which lessons have been learned.
On the sensitive issue of delimitation, Rao offered conditional support. He stated that BRS would back a fresh delimitation bill if it ensures a proportionate increase in seats for southern states. “Southern states account for 24% of the representation in Lok Sabha. If there is an overall increase in the number of seats proportionately, then we will have no problem supporting the delimitation bill,” he explained
In addition, the BRS has decided to actively address large-scale deletions from electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Telangana reportedly saw nearly 21% of names deleted, with the highest numbers in Hyderabad.
KTR’s firm stance reinforces BRS’s long-standing position of independent politics in Telangana. The party, which ruled the state for a decade before the 2023 Assembly elections, is focusing on organisational strengthening and preparing for a comeback in 2028 under the leadership of KCR and KTR. Analysts see this as an effort to maintain the party’s distinct Telangana identity while navigating national equations carefully.
The 2028 Telangana Assembly elections are still more than a year and a half away, but early positioning by major players—Congress (currently in power), BJP, and BRS—is already shaping the political narrative in the state.