Hyderabad: Ruling out early elections in Telangana, chief minister and TRS supremo K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Tuesday said that he will not opt for early polls like he did in 2018. Addressing the press after holding a meeting with party leaders, KCR also stated that he is working with noted political consultant Prashant Kishor.
“Prashant Kishor is for working for us. He never takes money for his work. He’s a committed man, worked in 12 States. What’s wrong in it (working with him)?” KCR asked while addressing a press conference after holding a meeting with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders on Tuesday at the party office.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, KCR said also took a dig at the former for promoting The Kashmir Files movie. “They’re asking govt employees to go watch a movie. What kind of politics is this? Who is responsible for the atmosphere in the country?” he said.
The Telangana chief minister stated that the BJP government at the Centre “should go”. He further added that the central government’s performance has also been poor. “Progressive thinkers must think for India. The Centre was horrible at tackling covid. When workers were stranded, they were not provided with trains to return to their homes. It was the biggest trauma faced by the nation,” KCR said, with regard to the massive migration of workers who left metro cities for their homes.
He also accused the Centre, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for not bringing back from Ukraine “for a very long time”. “After we (Telangana government) said we would pay for their education, West Bengal said the same. But nothing from the centre,” KCR added.
KCR also demanded the central government bear agricultural loses in the state, stating that the responsibility falls on the latter. He emphasised on the need to have the same policy for all states. “We can’t have a policy for Punjab, a different one for Rajasthan, and another one for Telangana. We need a uniform food grain procurement policy,” he asserted.
He added that the issue of “life and death” for farmers. “Just like in Punjab and Haryana, where you procure 100% of produce, we ask you to do the same for Telangana,” KCR said, and further asked the Centre to buy all of Telangana’s crops by Minimum Support Prices (MSP), and then do whatever they want with it.
The CM said that a delegation would be meeting Piyush Goyal in Delhi, and if he agrees to their demands, it would be welcome. “If they disagree with our requirements, we’re ready to fight as much as necessary. Not in small ways like paper statements, but action-oriented. People of Telangana are well versed in protesting.”
‘Time for BJP to pack up’
KCR also said that it is time for the Modi government to pack up. “A progressive company would talk about the irrigation files or industrial economic files. Agitation, growth or anything should be inclusive. They’re asking govt employees to go watch a movie. What kind of politics is this? Who is responsible for the atmosphere in the country?” he asked.
He added that the following the dismal response of the Centre during the COVID-19 crisis, India must prepare with buffer stocks in case of another unforeseen situation. “Does any other country have the power to feed a country for a week? Buffer stocks maintenance is your duty. You have mechanisms, godowns and authority,” KCR stated, on the issue.
