‘KCR had gone for advanced Assembly polls as he was afraid of going to polls along with Lok Sabha’.
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a frontal attack on Telangana Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) by describing him as “perpetuator of family rule” in the state. “KCR had gone for advanced elections to the Assembly in December only as he was afraid of gong to polls along with Lok Sabha now,” the PM said, addressing a rally at Mahabubnagar on Friday.
“KCR was afraid of facing simultaneous elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha as he was afraid of the Modi charisma. Some astrologer had advised him to go for early elections to the Assembly because of the rising popularity of Modi which would dominate the Lok Sabha elections,” said Modi amid thunderous applause from crowds.
The PM launched the BJP’s campaign in Telangana which is going to elections in the first phase on 11 April from here. He is expected to address two more meetings before the canvassing ends by 9 April. Unlike in the Assembly elections, the PM has decided to focus more on Telangana this time and has begun his campaign early. In December, he addressed two rallies in the last two days before the polls.
Another notable feature of the PM’s campaign is his direct attack against KCR and his “family rule” unlike in the Assembly elections, when the latter equally targeted Congress too. On Friday, the PM almost ignored the Congress by saying that it had become a synonym for “corruption and inaction”. Modi spent more time attacking KCR’s “failure on all fronts”.
“KCR has gone for early elections to the Assembly, five months before the schedule, but he couldn’t form his Cabinet for three months, evening after winning the majority,” the PM said. “This shows the CM’s inability to rule and provide better governance to the people of Telangana. Though we are not in power here, we came forward to help Telangana a lot, but KCR was reluctant to accept it,” said Modi.
The PM explained that though the BJP government at the Centre wanted to extend the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme to Telangana, KCR was not willing to utilise it, but finally the state had failed to improve the healthcare of people. Similarly, even on the mass housing scheme, the Centre had offered to give funds to the state, but KCR again failed to build any houses.
“KCR has cheated you by promising double bedroom houses, which haven’t come at all. This TRS government is busy misleading people and lagging behind in all developmental parameters. We from the Centre have given around six lakh free LPG connections to women in Telangana and we gave AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) at Bhongir to the state,” the PM said.
The PM also outlined the salient features of his five-year rule by saying that it has done a lot for the poor in the country and at the same time has removed the poor image of the country before the international community. “On the one side, we, Chowkidars, are here and, on the other side, are those who want to perpetuate their family rule and corruption—now the choice is before the people of the country,” he said.
The PM, who claimed himself a Chowkidar of Indians, said that this Chowkidar is also dumdhaar (courageous) who can deliver on his promises and take decisions without fear of anyone. “We could send a stern message to those who back terrorism from across the borders,” the PM said. He termed it unfortunate that some Congress leaders were talking to please terrorists so that they can appease their vote banks. The PM termed his decision to provide 10% reservations to the economically weaker sections as an ending of caste based vote bank politics. The PM has chosen Mahabubnagar as his first public meeting in Telangana as it has better chances of winning the seat after Congress former minister D.K. Aruna joined BJP and now contesting from here. TRS Floor Leader in Lok Sabha A.P. Jithender Reddy who joined BJP in Delhi on Thursday, too, was on the dais with the PM.
Former BJP president Bangaru Laxman’s daughter Shruti is contesting from Nagar Kurnool (SC) in the district. The PM’s rally, covering Mahabubnagar and Nagar Kurnool (SC) LS seats, is expected to benefit BJP prospects. State BJP unit president Dr K. Laxman said the PM will address another rally in Hyderabad on 1 April.