HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who fought for Telangana Statehood not only by building on a massive people’s movement but also by winning the support of like-minded political parties across India, on Saturday said that he was ready to play a key role on national political landscape to spearhead an “initiative for change” to challenge the supremacy of the Centre in order to ensure every State got its due from Delhi.
Building on his remarks earlier this week that he would try to forge an alliance with chiefs of other states to take on the Centre over farmers’ issues, KCR announced that he had harboured ambitions to serve the nation by moving to national politics. “I am ready to enter national politics in the coming days to bring in some key changes on political landscape of the country. I would take an active role for bringing change in national politics in the next three to four years.”
The ruling TRS supremo, who has recently started attacking the Narendra Modi government for its “failure” to alleviate the sufferings of farmers has already been in touch with the DMK, Samajwadi Party and JD (S), according to sources.
“Both BJP and Congress are same in governance. Both the parties ruled the country for 64 years. Even after 70 years of independence, the people of this country are facing drinking water problem. Farmers are also facing several problems.
Whenever a new government assumes charge at the Centre, only the names of the government schemes are changed. But, we see no enormous change in the lives of people. This situation should change. The existing political system has failed in the country,” the CM said, addressing the media for over an hour in Telugu, Hindi and English at his Pragathi Bhavan camp office in the city, even as Prime Minister Modi addressed party workers in Delhi following the BJP’s poll performance in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
KCR said there was a need for a “qualitative change” in national politics to improve the lives of every section of society and said that he would take on the responsibility of bringing this change. Asked whether the proposed change was possible through a third front, Rao replied, “The qualitative change is required in national politics. The country should go in a new direction. An initiative for the change will begin soon. I cannot say whether it will be an alliance, third front or any consortium. But, it should be a front- minus Congress and minus BJP. A platform should be created for transforming the people,” he said, adding “I am 64. I will be useful for the country for the next three to four years, if my health permits me”.
I will lead the front: KCR
Asked how he could shift to national politics while the work to create a ‘Bangaru (golden) Telangana’ was underway, the Chief Minister simply said: “It is just one hour 40 minutes journey from Delhi to Hyderabad”.
Asked who would be the leader for this alternative political system, KCR said: “If necessary, I will take the leadership at national level. Why not?” He, however, hastened to add that leadership would emerge on the need of the situation. Janata Party in late ‘70s, TDP and TRS emerged like that only, he added.
KCR also said that he had spoken to several leaders in the country and they too had expressed the need for a change in the national politics. Asked if he would also talk to AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Rao said that he had not spoken to him so far on this matter but would do so in the future. He, however, said he was a friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not an ally to BJP at the Centre. “Our support to BJP is issued based,” Rao added.
It may be recalled that in 1989 KCR’s Guru and TDP founder N T Rama Rao stitched together the short-lived National Front alliance at the Centre with V P Singh as Prime Minister. Later, NTR’s son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu was a key mover behind the United Front alliance that formed two governments at the Centre between 1996 and 1998, serving as its convenor.
So far its not clear whether KCR will move to national politics before or after the next Assembly polls coming up in 2019. “Our party supremo is firm on leading a new front at national level. He will take a call who should lead the party at State level only after next polls,” TRS sources said.
KCR bats for special status to Andhra
Giving scope to the argument that he might join hands with TDP supremo and his Andhra counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu in forging an alliance against the BJP and Congress Party, Telangana Chief Minister KCR cited the Centre’s unfulfilled promise of according special category status to AP as an example for how political parties are trying to use any issue to their own requirements. “If PM said he would accord special status to AP, he should fulfil this promise.
If he said he won’t, then it’s ok. There should not be any ambiguity in implementing the promises made by the PM. This rule should be applicable to all States equally. Whatever Centre promises to any State, that should be fulfilled. That is why I want to bring in a change at national level,” he remarked. He said his party MPs would fight against the Centre in Parliament for achieving special status to AP.
Interestingly, Rao made this comment, three days after Naidu dropped clear indications that the yellow party might ally with the ruling TRS in Telangana in the next polls. The argument within the TRS and TDP circles is that as there are 42 Lok Sabha seats in both TS and AP, a combined fight by the two parties against Centre will be helpful in extracting their share of funds and projects from Delhi. The two parties are of the view that they can dictate the terms at national level, after the next general polls, if they join hands with each other. Rao, however, dismissed AP’s YSRC efforts to move a no-confidence motion against Modi govt. “No confidence is a cheap trick,” Rao said.