MIRYALAGUDA: Cut to the quick by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broadside against him at Mahbubagar earlier in the day on Friday, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao pummelled him for using surgical strikes and Hindutva for political reasons.
Addressing an election meeting here, Rao said: “I was a Union Cabinet Minister in the UPA government. I was aware that surgical strikes were conducted 11 times at that time, but they were kept a secret. The Narendra Modi government, without any qualms, has claimed that 300 persons were killed in the surgical strikes. But, those on the other side of the border claimed that no one died in surgical strikes,’’ he said.
Firing a salvo at Modi for using Hindutva card for political mileage, he said. “You (BJP leaders) are pseudo-Hindus. Your (Modi) Hindutva is fake and is meant only to garner votes.’’ Rao could not address his scheduled second meeting in Hyderabad owing to a technical problem in his helicopter.
Sources said that the Miryalaguda public meeting was delayed and the chopper of KCR could not take off. Rao reached Hyderabad by road and was behind schedule. As his arrival was bound to be delayed, local leaders concluded the meeting. But the critics of TRS alleged that KCR skipped Hyderabad meeting on account of poor attendance which is believed to be partly because of IPL match es in Hyderabad.
At Miryalaguda, Rao reiterated that he would, if necessary, launch a national party for the development of the country. “The poverty of this country will be wiped out only if the Federal Front comes to power. I am not launching the national party for the sake of elections. My aim is to develop the country,” he said.
“BJP candidates lost deposits in 103 Assembly segments in the recent polls. Yet, they are resorting to big talk. Modi talked about Ayushman Bharat scheme. He copied that scheme from Telangana. We will not implement Ayushman Bharat. Telangana’s Arogyasri is much superior to Ayushman Bharat,” Rao said and dared Modi for a debate on the subject.
Stating that the BJP government failed to do anything in the last five years to farmers, tribals, Dalits and other sections, Rao said there is a need for a ‘qualitative’ change in the national politics. “This sannasula paalana (the rule of useless people, read Congress and BJP) should go. Otherwise, the problems of the country will persist.”
Rao said that the BJP would not cross 150 seats while Congress may just manage to touch the three digit mark. Rao did not even spare TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is contesting from Nalgonda. “Uttam declared he will take political sanyas, if the Congress fails to come to power after the Assembly polls. But, he is contesting again in LS polls. Uttam had alleged that I have sold the tickets. TRS does not have your culture.”He also predicted that after the LS pools, Uttam would be ousted as PCC president.
BJP will not cross 150 seats
BJP will not cross 150 seats and Cong may manage to touch the 3-digit mark, predicts KCR