The Election Commission of India has declared that BRS will remain a regional party in Telangana, and will not be granted state party status in Andhra Pradesh due to its failure to meet the necessary norms and conditions laid down by the EC. The party did not contest in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in 2019 in Andhra Pradesh, which meant that its poll performance did not match the criteria required for recognition as a state party. The BRS party leadership also failed to appear before the commission to address the issues raised by the EC. This decision is a setback for the BRS, which had hoped to enter Andhra Pradesh politics by contesting Assembly seats in the next elections. The EC’s decision also means that the BRS will not be able to use its car symbol in Andhra Pradesh or contest local body elections in Maharashtra under the same symbol. AAP has been recognized as a national party based on its electoral performance in four states, while the national party status of All India Trinamool Congress, NCP, and CPI has been withdrawn.
