HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s meeting with his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin, scheduled to take place in Chennai on Tuesday, has led to speculation that the TRS supremo has resumed his efforts to unite all the non-BJP regional political parties ahead of next General Elections.
Before the 2018 Assembly elections too, Rao undertook tours to several states, including Tamil Nadu, Odisha and West Bengal. In the recent past, the TRS intensified its attack against the BJP over rice procurement, non-implementation of assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and other issues. In fact, Rao himself led a Maha Dharna organised recently at Indira Park in Hyderabad in protest against the Union government’s rice procurement policy.
According to sources, during his meeting with Stalin, Rao is likely to discuss the political situation in the country, the role of regional parties and the indifferent attitude of the Modi government towards the farmers’ issues. Rao may also discuss the alleged double standards adopted by the Central government over rice procurement.
The TRS party contends that the Centre procures the entire stock of rice produced in Punjab but imposes restrictions when it comes to procuring rice from States like Telangana and Odisha. Meanwhile, TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy said that the pink party would fight till the BJP government is dethroned at the Centre.
Speaking to the media, he said: “We do not require anti-farmer government at Centre. We will only support a government which procures rice from the State. The TRS would support whoever fights against the BJP government.”