Hyderabad, Apr 27 (IANS): The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Monday turned 20 with low-key celebrations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

Telangana Chief Minister and party president K. Chandrashekhar Rao led the main but brief ceremony at the Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters, to mark the occasion.

Rao, who founded TRS on this day in 2001 to revive the movement for statehood to Telangana, hoisted the party flag to formally launch the party formation day celebrations.

Rao's few cabinet colleagues and top leaders attended the programme, which concluded in barely five minutes. Wearing face masks, the leaders maintained social distancing in line with the lockdown norms to check the spread of COVID-19.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, garlanded the statue of Telangana Talli and also Telangana ideologue Jayashankar. Leaders raised slogan of 'Jai Telangana' as KCR hoisted the pink flag of the party.

KCR's son and TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, some senior ministers, party general secretary and MP Keshava Rao attended the programme.

Earlier, the TRS chief extended his wishes to the people of the state and also the party cadre on the occasion of the party formation day.

He expressed satisfaction over the achievements of the party, including its main objective of attaining statehood for Telangana and also making great strides in the development of the state on all fronts.

He said the TRS government achieved numerous successes over the past six years in various sectors, including electricity, drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, industries and welfare.

"The TRS government has not just solved decades-old problems faced by the people of the state but also has been implementing several welfare schemes and developmental programmes, becoming a role model for the entire nation. This is a proud moment for the TRS as well as the people of the state," he said.

He called up on the party leaders and cadre to ensure that the celebrations are minimal in the wake of the lockdown.

He asked them to pay tributes to Telangana martyrs and hoist the party flag while following the lockdown rules and the guidelines prescribed by the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus.