HYDERABAD: Opining that blind hatred against one person, such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, should not be the driving force behind Opposition unity, BRS working president KT Rama Rao stressed on a positive and unifying agenda rather than a negativity-driven one that solely focuses on removing one individual from power.
When asked about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s proposed meeting of non-NDA leaders on June 12 in Patna, Rama Rao opined that it would be better to present a better alternative to the people instead of solely relying on the goal of removing Modi from power. “Floating a third or fourth front should not be the target,” Rama Rao remarked.“We should not unite to oppose or dethrone somebody. There should not be any negative approach. People will not appreciate negative overtures,” he said during an informal conversation with reporters.
He emphasised the need for a more constructive and inclusive approach, as negative overtures were unlikely to resonate with the public. Rama Rao stated that if the people had already decided to remove Modi from power, they would find an alternative regardless of whether certain parties joined together or not. “If people decide to oust Modi, they will find an alternative,” he said.While criticising Modi as an inefficient and incompetent PM, Rama Rao reminded that unemployment, inflation, and fuel and domestic gas prices have soared under his leadership.
Rama Rao highlighted the BRS agenda of promoting the “Telangana model” across the country, with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao spearheading the efforts. He pointed out that leaders from Madhya Pradesh had recently joined the BRS, and the party’s aim was to implement Telangana’s successful Mission Bhagiratha and other schemes nationwide.
A successful case study
Claiming that Telangana’s formation had been a successful case study for the entire country, Rama Rao commemorated the ninth anniversary of the State by underscoring its achievements. Reminding that the separate Telangana movement started with Neellu, Nidhulu, and Niayamakalu, he asserted that the State’s per capita income was the highest in the country, and significant wealth had been created and distributed among the people.
“The government has provided 2.2 lakh jobs in the public sector and 24 lakh direct employment opportunities in the private sector,” he said. Comparing the BRS rule with the Congress’ governance from 2004 to 2014, Rama Rao stated that the BRS government had generated eight times more government jobs in just nine years. He praised Telangana’s comprehensive and balanced development, highlighting improvements in healthcare and education.
Rama Rao challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to present a model that surpassed the Telangana model. He acknowledged the need for improvements in areas such as public transport and the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP), urging the allocation of additional funds for sewerage and stormwater drain improvements.
Congress & BJP are pygmies
Labeling both the BJP and the Congress as “pygmies” in the State, Rama Rao stated that the political fight should be on equal footing. Confident that the BRS would form the government for the third consecutive term, he expressed his belief that the people would not discard a `100 note from their pocket to pick up coins from the road.