To further the agenda of becoming a national party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti President, K Chandrasekhar Rao, on Wednesday, changed the nomenclature of his party from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The step signals KCR’s intention of garnering national following before the 2024 general elections.

However, the conspicuous absence of CM’s daughter and senior leader, K Kavitha from the grand launch event triggered speculations of a possible rift prevalent within the state’s first family.

Meanwhile, it is not just Kavitha’s absence from the high-profile event that has stirred the political air, but her name was also missing from the TRS list of in-charges for the forthcoming Munugode bypoll, attracting attention of political pundits. Rao’s initiative has got the support from regional parties like Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM and Karnataka-based JD(S).

The launch was held at the State General Body meeting of ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and district-level coordinators and other leaders at the party headquarters Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. K Chandrashekar Rao presided over the meeting. JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister, HD Kumaraswamy along with 20 of his MLAs attended the launch. The event also witnessed a large presence of leaders and cadres of TRS from the state.

Meanwhile, Kavitha preferred to stay at her home here celebrating Dussehra adding more weight to the suspicion that all was not well in KCR family. The TRS leader even posted a picture of herself performing prayers on the occasion.

“On this auspicious day of Dussehra, we performed Ayudha Pooja at home,” Kavitha said in a tweet.

Even as Kavitha’s absence was noticed by TRS leaders and rivals, the absence of her name from a list of in-charges for the Munugode bypoll gained as much attention.

Chief Minister KCR’s son KTR, who is also the state IT and Industries minister, is one of the party’s in-charges of the bypoll scheduled for November 3.

Several women leaders including ministers, MLAs and MPs like Sabitha Indira Reddy, Satyavathi Rathod, Padma Devender Reddy, Gongidi Sunitha and Deepika Yugender are on the list. However, Kavitha’s name is glaringly absent.

Meanwhile, leaders from the rival BJP raise questions about Kavitha’s absence and some even posted on social media.

(With Inputs from ANI)