Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president KT Rama Rao has ruled out the possibility of an alliance between the BRS and the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the 2028 Telangana Assembly elections. His comments came amid speculation about the regional party's future political strategy and reports of differences within the BRS over its relationship with the BJP.
Speaking to The Economic Times, Rama Rao said the BRS had maintained an independent political position and had not entered into an alliance with any party during the three general elections held since the formation of Telangana. He said there had been no change in that position and specifically ruled out an alliance with the BJP.
The statement comes against the backdrop of discussions over the BRS's issue-based support for certain initiatives of the BJP-led Union government. Rama Rao distinguished such support from an electoral alliance. According to his remarks, the BRS can support a particular policy or legislative proposal without entering into a formal political arrangement with the BJP.
One of the issues discussed by Rama Rao was the proposed delimitation exercise. He said the BRS would support a delimitation bill if there were a proportionate increase in the representation of southern states in the Lok Sabha. Rama Rao pointed out that the southern states currently account for about 24 percent of representation in the Lok Sabha and said the BRS would have no objection to the proposed legislation if the overall number of seats increased proportionately.
Delimitation has been a significant political issue for several southern states because of concerns about how changes in parliamentary representation could affect their existing share of seats. Rama Rao has previously argued that any delimitation exercise should ensure balanced representation for southern states. In March 2026, he said the BRS supported delimitation in principle but wanted safeguards to ensure that southern states were not disadvantaged by a population-based approach.
Rama Rao also addressed the BRS's previous support for measures introduced by the BJP-led government at the Centre. He said the BRS had supported the Goods and Services Tax, while noting that the Congress had also supported the measure. He also acknowledged the party's earlier support for demonetisation and described that decision as a mistake. His comments indicate that the BRS's past support for particular central government policies should not be interpreted as evidence of a formal alliance with the BJP.
The BRS's position on the BJP has also become a subject of internal political discussion. Rama Rao's sister, K. Kavitha Kalvakuntla, who has formed a separate political organisation after breaking away from the BRS, has accused leaders close to BRS founder K. Chandrashekar Rao of moving the party closer to the BJP. Rama Rao's latest statement directly rejects the possibility of an alliance ahead of the next Telangana Assembly election.
Another issue raised by Rama Rao concerns the revision of electoral rolls in Telangana. The BRS has decided to take up the issue of names removed from electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision exercise. According to the Economic Times report, the party is examining the reported deletions and plans to address the issue. The report said Telangana had seen nearly 21 percent of names deleted during the exercise, with Hyderabad recording the highest number of deletions.
The BRS had previously asked its party workers to closely monitor the electoral roll revision process. In June 2026, Rama Rao urged party cadres to remain vigilant during the Special Intensive Revision and stressed the need to identify potentially bogus entries while ensuring that eligible voters were not excluded. The BRS has continued to make electoral roll issues part of its political activity in the state.
The delimitation issue is also connected to the wider debate over representation between northern and southern states. In an August 2026 interview with The Indian Express, Rama Rao reiterated his concerns about the effect of delimitation on the southern states and argued that any increase in the number of parliamentary seats should take regional representation into account. These remarks form part of the BRS's broader position on the delimitation process.
For the 2028 Telangana Assembly election, Rama Rao's latest statement establishes the BRS's stated position that it intends to contest without an alliance with the BJP. At the same time, his comments indicate that the party may support specific legislative measures depending on their provisions, particularly those relating to parliamentary representation for southern states.
The distinction between electoral alliances and issue-based parliamentary support is therefore central to the BRS's current position. While Rama Rao has rejected an alliance with the BJP, he has said the BRS could support the Centre's delimitation proposal if it meets the party's stated condition regarding proportional representation for southern states. The party is also preparing to raise electoral roll concerns as Telangana moves toward the next phase of its political cycle.