HYDERABAD: TRS working president KT Rama Rao on Friday exuded confidence that TRS would rewrite the history in South India with a hat-trick of victories, bagging 90 seats in the next Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in December, 2023.In an informal chat with reporters, IT & Industries Minister said that K Chandrasekhar Rao would become South India’s first Chief Minister to assume for the third consecutive time.
Stating that both the surveys conducted recently by two rival parties predicted that TRS would retain the power, he said: “One survey was conducted by the BJP and another sponsored by the Congress. Both the surveys predicted that the TRS would come to power for the third consecutive time. Even our opponents are admitting that the TRS will retain power. Our own survey predicted that we will win over 90 seats.”
“RJD in Jarkhand and TDP in Telangana disappeared after the formation of separate States. Similarly, here too people will reject of any party that doesn’t belong to Telangana,” Rama Rao felt.
He also clarified that Assembly polls would not be advanced and they would be held as per schedule. Referring to AICC leader Rahul Gandhi’s proposed tour of Siricilla Assembly segment on August 2, Rama Rao said: “Rahul Gandhi could not win in Amethi and TPCC chief (Revanth Reddy) lost in Kodangal. Now, both are coming to Siricilla. Let Rahul spend two days in Siricilla to study works like construction of reservoirs, apparel parks, increase in groundwater levels, aquaculture and learn how to take up development works. Rahul’s visit to Sircilla will be an academic tour for him.”
He also predicted that Congress would be defeated in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka Assembly polls.On Centre-State relations, Rama Rao said that as Telangana was a newly-formed State, the party initially decided to go in for a ‘non-confrontational mode’ with the Centre. “But, Narendra Modi was behaving as if he is a Prime Minister of Gujarat. He does not behave like Prime Minister of the country,” Rama Rao said.
Alleging that Modi’s double engine means “Modi-ED and Jumla-Hamla”, he said: “Respect has to be earned by your actions and deeds. Respect cannot be earned by command.”The Minister recalled that the Modi government released advanced funds of `1,000 crore for Gujarat for mitigation of floods, but not released a paise for flood-hit Hyderabad so far. On the latest flood situation, Rama Rao said: “Even if Modi doesn’t visit the state, he should at least give some funds to the State”.
‘No life-long bond in politics’
Asked about the plans of BJP and Congress to poach potential TRS candidates, Rama Rao said: “There is no permanent contract with any leader in politics. There will be no life-long bond. If any leader thought that they will have better opportunity, they may leave the party. When the BJP held its National Executive, four BJP corporators from GHMC joined TRS.”
I-PAC FEEDBACK
Asked about I-PAC survey, Rama Rao said that they were getting daily feedback. “There is a demand among people for new Aasara pensions and food security cards. We will sanction the same. KCR pedala manishi (man of poor people)”, he said.
On delay in salaries
Asked about the delay in payment of salaries to govt employees, Rama Rao said that there was no rule which says that salaries have to be paid on the first of every month. “It’s not there in the Constitution,” he said. He also said that the TRS government gave hefty salary hike to its employees in the past.