HYDERABAD: Recalling how the UPA government depended on just five TRS MPs for its survival in the past, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday said: “Anything is possible in politics. The TRS may play a key role in the next Central government. We may dictate terms to the Centre. Or the present Central government may have a soft corner towards the State. In such a scenario, Dalit Bandhu will be extended to around five lakh families in the State at one go.”
In reply to a short discussion on Dalit Bandhu Scheme in the State Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister also reiterated that the pink party would form the next government too in the State. “I have no iota of doubt. The TRS will form the next government,” Rao declared and said that the TRS government has been implementing good schemes for the benefit of all and wondered why people should reject his party in the next elections.
While stating that “some political parties may be nurturing pipe dreams of coming to power”, the Chief Minister said: “Some people are asking how the State government will mobilise funds for the Dalit Bandhu. We have studied the dynamics of State’s economy. We will form the next government. In the next seven years, the State is going to spend Rs 23 lakh crore, of which spending Rs 1.8 lakh crore on Dalit Bandhu will not be a problem.”
Besides implementing the scheme on a saturation mode in Huzurabad Assembly segment and four mandals, it would be extended to 100 families in each of the 119 Assembly segments by the end of March, 2022, he said. Irrespective of their political affiliations, the Dalit Bandhu benefits would be extended to all, he said and added: “Some are affectionate towards me and they may keep my photo. Some may not keep my photo. Just because some are supporting other political parties, we cannot deny them the benefits of Dalit Bandhu and keep the SCs in poverty. They can vote for any party and we have no objection.”Rubbishing the allegations that the government would take the money back from the beneficiaries, he said no government would resort to such “cheap” methods. “Dalit Bandhu is not for elections,” Rao said.
Stating that the SCs have less landholdings than STs, he stressed the need to implement Dalit Bandhu. “The average population of SCs in the State is 17.53 per cent. In several districts, the SC population is more than 22 per cent. The lowest SC population is 11.7 per cent in Hyderabad. We need to increase the reservations for SCs,” he said.