WARANGAL/BHONGIR: “I have no desire to become Prime Minister. I have no inclination to know who will be the next Prime Minister,” Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Tuesday, taking everyone by surprise. Rao made the disclosure at a well-attended election rally in Warangal. However, in a meeting at Bhongir, he wished for a Congress-mukt and BJP-mukt Bharat.
Since Rao announced his plans for the Federal Front, several TRS leaders have been projecting him as the next prime minister. At the Warangal meeting on Tuesday, Panchayat Raj Minister E Dayakar Rao said, “PV Narasimha Rao addressed a public meeting at the Azam Jahi Mills ground and went on to become prime minister. Now, KCR is addressing a meeting on the same grounds, and he will become the prime minister, like PV did.”
Responding to Dayakar Rao’s remarks, the chief minister said: “I have no interest to know who will become the next prime minister. Dayakar Rao just said that those who address a meeting here will become prime minister. But I have no desire to become prime minister.” He further said it was not political parties that should win elections, but, “the people and their aspirations should win”.
Rao also found fault with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his assertion that the Centre gave `35,000 crore financial aid to Telangana. “As prime minister, one should not lie. Modi does all the time. He is stooping to the level of a village sarpanch. Telangana is one among the five states that support the Central government. Every year, the state contributes `1 lakh crore to the Centre, in the form of income tax, central excise, customs duty and other taxes. In return, the Centre gives only `24,000 crore to Telangana.”
‘TRS govt providing alcohol, not employment’
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh lashed out at TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for failing to provide jobs to the unemployed youth while lamenting the “unfortunate” situation where alcohol is being provided, instead of employment, to the youth. Recounting his previous visits to Nizamabad, the BJP leader alleged that “it is unfortunate that the government is providing alcohol and not employment”.
“Even a lot of Central government schemes are not reaching the people,” he claimed.The saffron party leader complained that the government is not paying attention to the concerns of the unemployed youth as the Nizam Sugar Factory is still remains closed. However, Singh was not sure if the factory was under the government or a private entity. But after seeking clarification from those present on the dais, he assured that the the factory will be opened if BJP is voted to power.
“Wasn’t it 100 days that your CM assured to open the factory? How many days have passed since then? Five years? What has the government been doing? Is there a loot or corruption in the State? At least there is something that the government is doing,” he said. “I will ensure that the factory is opened once BJP is voted to power. I will instruct industrialists to buy the company and run it to generate employment.”
Rajnath Singh took further potshots for the distress caused to the turmeric and red jowar crops. He held that the State saw high suicide rates in the past years.“Suicide rate is high in Telangana. I was informed that around 4,500 farmers have died in the State. It is due to poor policies of the government,” Singh said.
He also promised to set up a turmeric board and see to it that their problems were sorted out.
Dismissing the ambitions of Chandrasekhar Rao to form a regional party coalition, Rajnath Singh said that “TRS is a State party and cannot form the government.” The Union minister batted for Nizamabad BJP candidate Dharmapuri Aravind and Zahirabad candidate Banala Laxma Reddy. He later addressed another public meeting in Mahabubabad before leaving for New Delhi.
‘Modi must apologise for lying’
“Telangana gives Rs 76,000 cr to Delhi each year, and is fostering the Centre,” Rao said and sought an apology from PM Modi for spreading mis-information