Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao asserted that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) would form the government on its own strength after the next elections and said he would not continue in politics if the party does not return to power in 2019. He dismissed reports that he would be pitched as the Chief Ministerial candidate as Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to focus on national politics. “There are no such plans and I am not over zealous. Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao will continue as the Chief Minister in the coming term too,” he said.
He said the spree of welfare and development programmes initiated by the Chief Minister would make the next elections one-sided and the TRS would return to power with a significant majority. There was no scope for the BJP to make any inroads into the State as the scope for creating any rift between the communities in the name of religion and caste was remote.
“The BJP and Congress are feeling suffocated as they are not finding any footing in the State,” he said during an informal chat with reporters here on Friday. He strongly refuted the claims that the TRS was acting as “B” team of the BJP as could be seen from the support it extended to various initiatives of the NDA government. “The Chief Minister supported the Centre after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured to usher in major changes through demonetisation and other measures. But the Prime Minister stopped mid-way,” he said. “Neither Congress president Rahul Gandhi nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi were the bosses of TRS. People of Telangana are,” he said.
Mr. Rama Rao launched a trenchant attack on the Congress for its promises like unemployment allowance and loan waiver of ₹2 lakh to farmers. The Congress leaders should define what criterion would be adopted for declaring the candidates as eligible for unemployment allowance. The promise of loan waiver too does not stand any ground as Rythu Bandhu scheme was aimed at extending investment support to farmers, the Minister said. He refuted the Congress charges on “family rule” asserting that he was elected by the people of Sircilla in a democratic manner and the Congress claims were tantamount to insulting the mandate of the people.
“We prefer not to comment on Congress that is reputed for its family rule. TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife are MLAs. The Congress leaders’ criticism exposes the identity crisis they are facing in the State,” he said. He ridiculed the Congress leaders for their assertions on a silent revolution brewing in the State. “Had that been the case, why did they back out when polls were imminent in Alampur and Nalgonda after the two MLAs were disqualified?” he asked, adding that the TRS was ready to face elections any time.
