Election Commission shocks KCR’s BRS

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has shocked the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) by derecognizing the party in Andhra Pradesh. On Monday evening, ECI released a press statement, stripping national status to a couple of political parties and promoting the Aam Aadmi Party.

BRS recognition of status of state party in Andhra Pradesh has been withdrawn under Para 6 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order 1968. ECI backed its decision by citing that BRS did not contest Assembly elections or Lok Sabha elections in 2019. This decision of the ECI is technically valid and BRS has to contest the elections to get the status of state party.

BRS did not expect this sort of reaction from the Election Commission. The party definitely needs to contest the elections in Andhra and prove its popularity among the people to get a status.

Besides BRS, the ECI had cancelled the national status to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC), Sharad Pawar’s Nationalistic Congress party (NCP) and Communist Party of India (CPI). West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee fumed over ECI for removing national status to TMC and the party sources said that they will approach the Supreme Court against ECI’s decision.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal led AAP received promotion with national party status. AAP had won Punjab state Assembly elections and the party is in ruling. Accordingly it received national party status.