KTR opens up on gig workers, first crush on Unfiltered

In India, elections, irrespective of assembly or parliament, depended on infusing confidence among voters that their future would be bright, said KT Rama Rao

Hyderabad: Stating that Indian elections were more about rejection and not about selection, BRS working president KT Rama Rao said in India, elections, irrespective of assembly or parliament, depended on infusing confidence among voters that their future would be bright.

Maintaining that BRS was at an equal distance with both Congress and BJP, he said national leadership was not just about NDA or I.N.D.I.A. there was always scope for others to emerge, he stressed.

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In a freewheeling interview with founder of online venture Unfiltered, Samdish Bhatia, the BRS working president spoke about Indian politics, his favourite film star, movies, and diverse topics.

A government’s job was to create employment, increase wealth and develop infrastructure. The greatest tool to fight caste and discrimination was to create wealth, he said, citing the affirmative action in the form of Telangana’s Dalit Bandhu, which was a game changer.

In another example, he pointed out that farmers’ suicides in Telangana region (before formation of State) were highest in the country. Today, it was lowest and this was due to Rythu Bandhu, input subsidy to farmers.

On gig workers, he said the State government was contemplating setting up an exclusive board on the lines of the Construction Welfare Board for construction workers.

About political funding, he said like Congress and BJP, the BRS was also generating funds. “We are going by the rule book and in that case, we are as clean as they are,” Rama Rao said, adding the electoral bonds should be brought under the purview of RTI.

Recalling about a weirdest favour, the BRS working president said he amused that one X user had tagged him saying he did not have a leg piece in the biryani delivered by an online food delivery company.

About his first celebrity crush, he said it was Sophia Loren and admitted he was a big fan of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. Maniratnam’s Nayakan was still his favourite movie.

On the probable tie up with Congress or BJP, he said if it was about ideology, there cannot be any understanding or compromise with BJP leaders as they were with different mindset.

“We believe in an India, which is inclusive and they believe in an India, which is exclusive. That is the difference,” Rama Rao said.