KTR Rules Out BJP Alliance, Says BRS Will Go Solo in 2028

BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has ruled out any alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2028 Telangana Assembly elections, making it clear that his party intends to contest the polls independently.

KTR made the statement during an interaction with students at O.P. Jindal Global University in Sonipat, Haryana, where he delivered a special lecture on “Innovation in Governance: The Story of a Startup State.” He later took questions on politics, governance, technology and public policy.

Asked specifically about the possibility of a BRS-BJP electoral alliance in 2028, KTR said there would be “no alliance with the BJP.” He also discussed the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies, saying the BRS would support a delimitation Bill if any increase in parliamentary seats is carried out proportionately across the country.

KTR said southern states currently account for 24 per cent of Lok Sabha representation and argued that their existing share should be taken into consideration while increasing the number of seats.

During his lecture, KTR presented Telangana’s development experience through the concepts of “certainty” and “opportunity.” He said governments must provide citizens with reliable infrastructure and public services while simultaneously creating conditions that encourage innovation, entrepreneurship and new economic opportunities.

He referred to initiatives in irrigation, agriculture, drinking water and power, describing the Kaleshwaram project as an engineering response to the challenge of taking Godavari water to drought-prone areas.

KTR also cited the increase in Telangana’s rice production, which he said rose from around 44.4 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 168.8 lakh tonnes in 2023–24.

The BRS leader highlighted Telangana’s startup ecosystem, particularly T-Hub, WE Hub, T-Works and TASK, for their role in supporting entrepreneurs, women-led businesses, prototyping, hardware innovation and industry linkages.

He cited Skyroot as an example of how startups can progress from incubation and prototyping to becoming market-ready enterprises.

Responding to questions on artificial intelligence, KTR said concerns surrounding new technology were natural and had accompanied previous technological transitions as well. He stressed the need to adapt to AI and technological change rather than resist it.

He urged young people to treat limitations as design challenges and focus on continuous learning, experimentation, improvement and execution.

The session concluded with students questioning KTR on politics, public policy, delimitation and technology. O.P. Jindal Global University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr C. Raj Kumar welcomed him to the programme.