Prime Minister Narendra Modi "dresses for elections" and his budget exemplifies "style without substance" - Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao unleashed Insults 101 on the PM and the BJP as he ripped into the Budget yesterday, calling it "terrible and golmaal (chaotic)". In three days, the two come face-to-face for a mega event, but Mr Rao says he won't flinch at sharing his criticism in person.
"Upar Shervani, andar pareshani (all style, no substance)," the Chief Minister quipped, mocking the "Gujarat model" that the BJP flaunts as an example of PM Modi's governance.
Mr Rao or KCR doesn't mince words when he decides on a target. Ironically, he has been accused in the past of being the B-team for the BJP and his Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has mostly backed the Modi government on key legislation in Parliament.
"With social media management, lying blatantly, repeating a lie again and again, they managed to fool the people so far. But now they have been exposed. They play communal politics of hate and division," he said.
On PM Modi, he sneered: "If it is election time, he has to grow a beard and appear like Rabindranath Tagore. Arrey baap re. If it is Tamil Nadu, he must wear a lungi (sic), what is this?...What does the country get With these kind of gimmicks, what does the country get? If it is the Punjab election, he will wear a pagdi (turban). In Manipur, it will be a Manipuri cap, in Uttarakhand, it will be another topi (cap), how many caps like this?"
On Saturday, KCR is set to share a helicopter ride with PM Modi when they travel to the outskirts of Hyderabad for the launch of a statue of Saint Ramanujacharya, said to be the world's second tallest and built at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
Asked about the potentially "awkward" trip with PM Modi, KCR told NDTV: "It is automatic. Sharing (a dais or a chopper ride) is not the question at all. Whenever the PM comes to any state, the Chief Minister goes and welcomes him. It is a routine thing, a protocol requirement... Attacking him in politics is my policy. Even while sitting along with Mr Modi in his helicopter I will tell him the same thing."
But KCR's recent political activities likely add to the unease. The Telangana Chief Minister is scheduled to meet his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray soon as part of his ongoing Project 2024 to bring various opposition forces together as an alternative to the BJP and the Congress.
He has already consulted with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as also with other senior leaders of the CPM and CPI.
"There's a need for qualitative change in the nation," Mr Rao told reporters on his meeting with Uddhav Thackeray.
"Now is the time to throw the BJP into the Bay of Bengal. I appeal to people, change is needed. I am talking to people. Indians have to awaken. These people who create communal disturbances, this needs to change. In the coming days, we will work for the country. In what role, I am not sure yet,'' he said, insisting that he is not fighting to become Prime Minister.
KCR also said there is a need for debate to change the Indian constitution. "Many countries do this every once in a while. Both the Congress and the BJP have not respected cooperative federalism. We need to rethink what is right for us,'' he said
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