No one can can revive Congress: KTR
Hyderabad: TRS working president and Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday stated that the failures of the Congress were the strength of the BJP and no one including election strategist Prashant Kishor can rescue the Grand Old Party. Even as Prashant Kishor declined the offer made by the AICC, Rama Rao reminded that the TRS […]
Hyderabad: TRS working president and Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday stated that the failures of the Congress were the strength of the BJP and no one including election strategist Prashant Kishor can rescue the Grand Old Party. Even as Prashant Kishor declined the offer made by the AICC, Rama Rao reminded that the TRS signed up with Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) but not with Prashant Kishor.
The TRS working president stated that they had a long association with Prashant Kishor who now wants to pursue his political ambitions. “But even he cannot help the Congress revive itself. The party is tried, tested and dusted,” he said.
On Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Telangana next week, he advised the Congress MP to first register a win in his native Amethi constituency before coming to Telangana to revive the party. Rahul Gandhi had also not raised any issue pertaining to Telangana in Parliament in all these eight years.
He also spoke about the allegations of corruption, increased fuel prices, electoral promise, and rising political heat in Telangana, among other issues, in an interview with Telangana Today.
Q. You have been accusing the BJP government at the Centre of failure to deliver on its promises. What about promises made by you?
A. We fulfilled 90-95 per cent of our promises along with a few other programmes that were not promised. But the BJP did not fulfill even 5-10 per cent of its promises including doubling farmers’ income and drinking water supply to every household.
Q. Both BJP and Congress claim credit for making the State government procure paddy. Do you agree? What was the objective behind holding the dharna in Delhi when you could have done it earlier itself?
A. The Centre refused to purchase parboiled rice and instead suggested cultivation of alternate crops during last Yasangi season. But BJP leaders like Bandi Sanjay and G Kishan Reddy asked farmers to go ahead with paddy cultivation with the assurance that they would take the responsibility (of procurement). We held dharna in Delhi as well as the State only to expose their double standards and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anti-farmers’ policies.
Q. Why is Telangana not reducing VAT on fuel prices?
A. Crude oil price was $105 per barrel in 2014 and the petrol price was around Rs 75 per litre then. After lot of highs and lows, currently, crude oil price is around the same price today. But petrol price has gone up to Rs 120 per litre. We did not increase taxes, but it was the Centre which imposed additional cess resulting in a hike of Rs 45-50 per litre. We will support if the Centre decides to remove all the cess.
Q. Was there a need to revoke GO 111?
A. Since 1996, people of 84 villages under GO 111 have been demanding for revocation of the GO. Leaders from all political parties have been promising to revoke the GO which TRS implemented. They also accuse of ‘Insider Trading’. Let them prove it. If we acculumated properties other than those mentioned in our election affidavits, they will be seen on Dharani website.
Q. What about internal bickerings within TRS?
A. There is natural competition among party leaders. Only certain sections of media are blowing it out of proportion. Under the guise of journalists, some blackmailers are creating these speculations.
Q. The rising political heat?
A. We will go to polls as per schedule next year as was announced by CM K Chandrashekhar Rao and the rest are speculations. The sudden rise in political heat is due to arrival of certain political parties which have no connection with the State. YS Sharmila is using abusive language against a father-figure like KCR. RS Praveen Kumar of BSP who supported the Andhra rulers during the Telangana agitation too is criticising KCR. His BSP did not contest in UP elections and indirectly helped BJP to win the polls. Both of them appear to have floated political parties only to fuel the BJP’s divisive politics and help the saffron party.
Q. Is there political vaccum in national politics?
A. Definitely. Neither Congress nor BJP could provide basic facilities like food, water, power and other essentials to the people of this country. There are always detractors who doubted KCR’s capability to achieve Telangana State, but he proved them wrong. He will also prove those who are doubting whether he would make a difference in national politics.
Q. Communal issues in poll-oriented States?
A. The BJP wants to divert people from real issues like inflation, unemployment, low consumption etc. Hence, they bring issues like Hijab, Halaal, Pakistan, and China. Rather than competing with US and China, we are being pushed to the level of Pakistan and Bangladesh. After 75 years, we are still a Third World country. A common man only wants social security including house, health and education facilities as well as maintenance of law and order.
There is nothing wrong in praying to your respective Gods. But the issue is only when you object to other’s methods. Which God asked anyone to fight in their name with other religions? If questioned, they are branded as anti-nationals.
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