Hyderabad,  The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Thursday informed the Election Commission of India about its decision to change its name to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

A delegation of party leaders led by former MP B. Vinod Kumar met officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi and handed over a copy of the resolution adopted at the TRS general body meeting on Wednesday.

Vinod Kumar told reporters that they informed the Election Commission about the decision taken at the meeting in Hyderabad.

He pointed out that as per the People's Representation Act Section 29 A and sub-clause 9, any political party has to inform immediately to the Election Commission about change in its name or address.

"Without wasting any time, we submitted a letter to the Election Commission informing it about the resolution passed at the meeting," said Kumar, who is deputy chairperson of State Planning Commission.

The Election Commission officials said they would take further action after taking into consideration objections, if any. Replying to a query about the existence of some parties with the name BRS, Vinod Kumar said abbreviations may be the same. "Abbreviation is not at all an issue. The name is different," he said.

A general body meeting of the TRS presided over by party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution changing the name of the party to BRS.

Rao announced that the general body meeting unanimously resolved to change the name of TRS to BRS to expand its activities nationwide. The meeting also amended the party Constitution in this regard.

The new party is likely to retain the pink colour and election symbol of the car. However, registration of BRS as a national party will depend on the number of votes that may be secured by it in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Till then, TRS will continue as a state party.

Meanwhile, Vinod Kumar declined to answer any queries about the policies and programmes of BRS. He said party president KCR would address the media to answer all the queries.

A programme is likely to be organised in Delhi later this month, where KCR will formally launch the national party in the presence of leaders of various regional parties.

Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, president of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Tholkappiyan ThirumavalavanAand other leaders of the two parties had attended Wednesday's meeting in Hyderabad.

It was in 2001 that KCR had floated TRS to revive the movement for separate statehood to Telangana. After achieving the goal in 2014 following a 13-year-long struggle, he formed the first government in the new state and retained power in 2018.