‘Private Franchisee Politics’: BRS Slams Congress Over Hyderabad’s Trump Road

‘Private Franchisee Politics’: BRS Takes Aim at Congress Over Hyderabad’s Donald Trump Avenue

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has criticised the Congress government in Telangana over the inauguration of “Donald Trump Avenue” near the US Consulate in Hyderabad, accusing the party of sending conflicting political messages at the state and national levels.

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar raised the issue in an open letter addressed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning how a Congress-ruled state could honour US President Donald Trump while senior Congress leaders continue to criticise him and his administration on national platforms.

The controversy comes after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka unveiled a plaque marking the renaming of the road adjoining the US Consulate as Donald Trump Avenue during celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of American Independence.

The event was attended by US Consul General Laura Williams, Telangana ministers, senior officials, business leaders and members of the diplomatic community.

BRS Questions Congress’s Stand on Trump

In his letter, Sravan Kumar argued that the move appeared inconsistent with the Congress party’s stated position on international affairs.

Referring to recent criticism of the Trump administration by Congress leaders, he asked whether the Telangana government’s decision reflected a shift in the party’s stance or a disconnect between the state leadership and the national leadership.

“Where does the Indian National Congress stand on Donald Trump?” Sravan Kumar asked, accusing the party of practising “private franchisee politics” by adopting different positions in different parts of the country.

The BRS leader claimed that the road naming contradicted the rhetoric often used by Congress leaders in New Delhi and raised questions about whether the party follows a common ideological line.

Reference to Congress’s Recent Remarks

Sravan Kumar also pointed to a recent Congress statement on foreign policy, in which party spokesperson Pawan Khera criticised the BJP-led Centre’s engagement with the Trump administration. According to the BRS leader, the Telangana government’s decision to honour Trump stood in sharp contrast to those remarks, creating confusion about the Congress party’s actual position.

He further argued that citizens were entitled to know whether decisions taken by Congress governments in states reflected the party’s national policy or were driven by local political considerations.

Telangana Minister Downplays Controversy

Reacting to the criticism, Telangana minister Ponnam Prabhakar sought to play down the issue. Stating that he was present at the event celebrating 250 years of American Independence, Prabhakar said he was not fully aware of the naming decision but questioned why it should automatically be viewed as controversial.

“He is the President of the United States, not a criminal. The government will clarify the move,” the minister said.

Political Row Intensifies

The road naming has now become a fresh point of confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS in Telangana. While the Congress government has yet to issue a detailed explanation, the opposition has seized on the issue to question the party’s consistency on foreign policy and political messaging.

With both sides digging in, what began as a diplomatic gesture linked to US-India ties has quickly evolved into a political debate over ideology, symbolism and governance.