BJP, Congress Colluding To Defeat BRS In Telangana, Says KCR

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday alleged that the BJP and the Congress colluded to limit his political activities and see to it that the BRS is not expanded to Maharashtra.

Addressing a poll rally, Mr Rao attacked both the national parties alleging that Telangana was ruined during the Congress rule while the BJP-led Central Government has not sanctioned even a single medical college or Navodaya School to the state.

Seeking votes for the BRS candidate, Mr Rao said his party should be voted to power again for the development to continue.

"Both the national parties (the Congress and BJP) are scared of KCR. They feel if he wins in Telangana, he'll come to Maharashtra and play the flute (destroy). As many as 150 panchayats in Maharashtra passed resolutions, requesting to merge them with Telangana," Mr Rao said, taking a dig at the two parties.

He alleged that both the parties have a tacit understanding not to put up strong candidates against each other.

"They feel safe if KCR is defeated in Telangana. This is what is happening," he said.

He further said his party meetings are getting good response from the Maharashtra people. Listing out the achievements of Telangana, Rao said the state surpassed Punjab in paddy production with three crore tonnes per annum.

He said the BRS was born for the achievement of Telangana statehood and to protect the rights of its people.

He also asked the people to compare the development of the state that took place during the past ten years with that of 50 years of Congress rule.

He alleged that it was the Congress party which merged Telangana and Andhra Pradesh without the consent of the people here resulting in suffering for 50 years.

"During Congress rule, the situation was chaotic in Telangana. They never cared. There were no drinking water facilities. There were suicides. It was the Congress party which ruined Telangana," he charged.

He said it was his government which has increased the social pension to up to Rs 2,000 which was meagre before 2014.

Mr Rao said the amounts for social pensions and the Rythu Bandhu scheme (investment support scheme) will gradually be increased if the BRS Government is voted to power again.

He said Telangana is the only state which does not levy irrigation water tax in the country.

If the Congress wins, power supply will be limited to only three hours as against the present 24 hours, he warned the voters alleging that the Karnataka government promised 20 hours free power during the Assembly elections but ended up giving just five hours.

He claimed that he refused to implement a Central government "order" asking the state to fix meters to agriculture pump sets despite Telangana losing Rs 25,000 crore fund from the Centre during the fast five years.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)