Buoyed by the support his proposal for a third front evoked in different parts of the country, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday vowed to give new direction to the country.
Reiterating that a qualitative change should come in the national politics, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief said a beginning was being made from Telangana and exuded confidence that the goal will be achieved with the backing of people.
He also announced that he would soon meet like-minded leaders and would also chalk out an agenda for the country
He was addressing a large number of TRS workers and representatives of various organisations who had gathered at his official residence "Pragati Bhavan" to declare their support for his plans to cobble up a third front as an alternative to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
Parties extend support
KCR, as Rao is popularly known, told the gathering that his mere call for a qualitative change in the national politics received support from all four corners of the country. "I have been receiving phone calls since morning as people are extending their support to my effort."
The TRS chief said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to him over phone to convey that she will fully support him.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also publicly extended his support to the Telangana CM.
"I welcome Telangana CM's statement and he rightly stated that people of the country are fed up with BJP governance and Congress is not a viable option, neither can it become one," Owaisi told reporters at his party headquarters on Sunday.
"Six to seven MPs from Maharashtra also called me. They said they will resign from their party the day you make a beginning," KCR said without revealing the names of the party they belong to.
In another development, actor-politician Pawan Kalyan also supported the proposal.
“It has been the topic of discussion and debate among parties, societies, and individuals for some time now. I and my party Jana Sena also strongly feel that there is a need for another alternative, comprising regional parties, since national parties are not sensitive to the needs and aspirations of the regions,” the Jana Sena party chief told reporters.
More autonomy to states
KCR said the country needs drastic changes in its political system and amendments in its Constitution to realise its full potential and grow at par with countries like China, Japan and Singapore.
He alleged that both BJP and Congress, who ruled for most of the time since independence, had miserably failed to address real issues of people, and unless an alternative emerges the country will continue to have the same politics of allegations and counter-allegations and brick-batting between them.
"Even after 70 years of our independence, farmers continue to commit suicide," he said while blaming the faulty policies pursued by the two parties.
Without naming any party, he said people are divided in the name of religion and caste, thereby weakening the country.
Stating that the federalism exists only on paper, he demanded that subjects like agriculture, health and education should be transferred to the states. He alleged that these subjects are deliberately kept with the Centre so that the ruling parties continue to play petty politics.
"What the Prime Minister has to do with the rural roads," he asked in a dig at Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, a central scheme.
He reiterated the demand that the Centre should transfer the subject of reservation to the states as they were providing quota in their jobs and educational institutions.
"85% of Telangana's population comprises backward classes, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities. How do I satisfy them with 50% reservation?" he said while calling for real cooperative federalism.
BJP and Congress hit back
The move has understandably not gone down too well with the two national parties, who have launched a counter-attack against the TRS chief.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that voters in the state must ‘bury’ the TRS in the upcoming elections and teach them a lesson. He also alleged that KCR had a hidden alliance with the BJP.
“KCR is an undeclared ally of BJP for the last four years. Now, both BJP and TRS are jointly playing mind games to distract people’s attention from their failures. Neither KCR nor Asaduddin Owaisi can defeat Prime Minister Modi in the next elections. If you want to stop the saffron brigade, then you will have to vote for Congress,” Uttam was quoted as saying.
“He (KCR) is speaking about a third front to cheat people yet another time. He is colluding with the Prime Minister. People should remove both of them from power in the coming elections and choose Congress,” he added.
Participating in a television debate, BJP National Spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said that the BJP’s recent victory in Tripura had shaken political leaders in the country.
“All the CMs of non-BJP states are rattled. They expect the BJP’s juggernaut to even swamp states like Telangana. Four years after bifurcation, what change do you see in Telangana? Only KCR’s family is in power. He has forgotten the people of Telangana,” Rao said.
“There is only one national party in the country today and that is the BJP. KCR is unknown to the people of this country. Telangana is one of the top states when it comes to farmer suicide, it is a tragedy,” Rao added.
IANS inputs