HYDERABAD: Paying back Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his own coin, TRS working president and MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao mooted the concept of “double-engine” governance in the GHMC election. Recalling Modi’s recent slogan in the Bihar election — “double-engine” government — Rama Rao said: “When the State government and the GHMC have the same party rule, the city too will develop.”
He also recalled Modi’s “vocal for local” slogan. “We (TRS) are locals, elect us,” Rama Rao called upon the voters, in an exclusive interview with The New Indian Express at his Banjara Hills residence.
Asked about the growth of the BJP in Telangana, Rama Rao said: “I do not care about the growth of the BJP. MIM is our rival in the GHMC election and I am sure that the TRS will defeat MIM candidates in 10 to 12 divisions of the Old City,” he said. He exuded confidence that the TRS would win on its own by getting a respectable number of divisions. “Both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be from the TRS,” he said.
Objecting to BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s surgical strike on the Old City, Rama Rao wondered what the Centre has done in the last six years with regard to the Rohingya. How could they enter the country and who gave them Aadhaar cards, he asked. “Talk to the Defence Minister or Union Home Minister on the Rohingya,” he advised Sanjay Kumar.
The Congress manifesto has promised the moon to the voters. What is your view?
Where will they (Congress) get the money from? The Metro is not under the GHMC. All the promises made by the Congress are related to the State government. The Congress manifesto is a joke of the year.
BJP has explained that the surgical strikes are on Rohingya, not on Hyderabad city. What is your reaction?
The BJP and Congress are campaigning on specific rhetorics. We are informing the voters what we have done in the last six years. The BJP leaders, too, should spell out what they have done for the voters of Hyderabad. Instead, they are spewing communal venom and dividing the people. Even for galli polls, national leaders are arriving. We stand for a forward-looking and progressive leadership.
Why are you targeting the BJP in you campaign and sparing the Congress?
The Congress is now in a helpless situation. The BJP and the Congress have to decide for the third and fourth places in the GHMC election. Our main rival is the MIM. We have lost five divisions with slender margins in the last elections. This time, we will defeat the MIM in 10 to 12 divisions.
The BJP says there is the Centre’s share in 2BHK houses, your trump card in these elections?
The 2BHK scheme will have a positive impact on voters. If the Centre is funding the 2BHK houses, how come there are no 2BHKs in Gujarat and other BJP-ruled States? The BJP government at the Centre has not released any extra money to the State, except for the statutory funds.
The BJP State president talked about payment of traffic challans. What is your reaction?
The new Motor Vehicle Act was enacted by the BJP government. The same BJP MPs voted for it. Now, they are sabotaging the same Act. Those who do not know this became MPs. They are talking of challans for the sake of getting votes from the youth.
Why has the GHMC election been advanced? Is it because of the outcome of the Dubbaka Assembly bypoll?
One needs courage to face the people and to go for an election. The election is being held as per the GHMC Act. It has nothing to do with the Dubbaka outcome. We can give 100 reasons such as Covid-19, if we wanted to postpone the polls. But, we have decided to hold the election.
The BJP says it will end KCR’s family rule in TS.
The Shiv Sena is a family party. Maneka Gandhi and her son Varun Gandhi, BS Yediyurappa and his son in Karnataka, Vasundhara Raje and Jyotiraditya Scindia in Rajasthan, Dushyant Singh Chautala and his family in Haryana were accepted when they sailed with the BJP. Why is the BJP coming up with new rules only for Telangana? I am a four-time MLA. People have repeatedly elected me.
The MIM is considered your friendly party. Why are you giving a call to defeat it in the GHMC poll?
The TRS MPs had supported the BJP on GST, demonetisation and the election of the Vice-President candidate. The MIM had also supported the TRS on some issues. That’s all.