HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao discussed 16 important issues concerning the State pending with the Central government when he called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi Wednesday.
This was the first meeting between Rao and Modi after Rao assumed charge as Chief Minister for the second consecutive term. In his one hour one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister, Rao reiterated State government’s demands including handing over Bison Polo ground lands for the construction of a new building for the State Secretariat and according national project status on Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). If the Centre accords national status on KLIS, the State can get around ` 20,000 crore financial assistance from the Centre. Rao also sought `1,000 crore Central aid for the mega textile park that is coming up at Warangal.
The Chief Minister also requested the Prime Minister to refer all the State’s petitions on the Krishna water disputes to the Krishna River Water Disputes Resolution Tribunal(KWDT-2). Rao, later, called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed about the pending issues of the State.
As the Opposition parties including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that Rao briefed Modi about his recent tour to various states, TRS MP B Vinod Kumar said that it was a courtesy call on the Prime Minister after assuming charge as the Chief Minister.
“Some political parties are spreading canards against the proposed Federal Front. TRS never extended its support to BJP. Both Congress and the BJP never encouraged the regional parties, ” Vinod Kumar told reporters in Delhi.
KCR left hanging by Akhilesh, Maya
KCR’s plan to discuss a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance for the 2019 elections with two key allies in Uttar Pradesh during his Delhi visit may have to wait, as BSP supremo Mayawati hasn’t confirmed a meeting, and SP national president Akhilesh Yadav postponed it. In Lucknow, the SP chief appreciated Rao’s efforts to build an alliance of third-front parties, but said he would not be available to meet in Delhi, and would visit Hyderabad after January 6 to meet Rao. He added that an anti-BJP alliance would not include the Congress in UP. This statement is being seen in political circles as an outburst of displeasure with the Congress for not inducting the sole SP MLA in the Madhya Pradesh cabinet. According to sources, Rao is yet to receive an official confirmation for a meeting with Mayawati, who has been in Delhi since Sunday, but hasn’t allotted time for a meeting with him.