A day after he pitched for a non-BJP, non-Congress alternative at the Centre, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao levelled allegations against the Narendra Modi-led Central government and the previous Congress-led UPA government, claiming they had failed “miserably” to address core issues.
Mr. Rao also hinted at taking on an active role at the national level to bring together like-minded parties to form the next government at the Centre.
A flurry of support
The Chief Minister’s speech attracted a flurry of support, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and several other leaders welcoming the suggestion for an alternative, according to an official release.
In her telephone call, the Trinamool Congress chief conveyed her complete support and said she agreed on the need to bring a qualitative change in the country’s politics, the release said.
“Ham aap se ekmat hain. Aap ke saath rahange (I am in agreement with you. I will work with you),” the release quoted Ms Banerjee as having told Mr. Rao.
‘Surprised at response’
Mr. Rao said he was surprised by the response to his call. “I received calls from all corners of the country. Some MPs from Maharashtra wanted to rally behind me once the modalities of the alternative are worked out,” he said.
Extending support, actor-turned-politician and Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan also welcomed Mr. Rao’s statement at a press conference on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also welcomed the Chief Minister’s comments.
Mr Owaisi said regional parties will be the key to government formation after the next parliamentary polls and that the Telangana chief minister will play an important role.
Following his announcement, a large number of leaders and cadre thronged Pragati Bhavan, the Chief Minister’s camp office, on Sunday to greet him.
Mr. Rao said the people had voted the BJP to power as they were unhappy with the Congress’ inability to redress their grievances. But the BJP, too, had failed to deliver four years after it came to power.
“No qualitative change is seen by people even after 70 years of democracy....China developed in less than three decades. What both the Congress and the BJP did all these years,” Mr Rao had said.
“People are looking for change. Can we expect something new to happen if the Congress comes to power after the BJP? It can be a third front or any front...Are we not part of the country? Discussions are going on. There is no secret about it,” he said when asked if he was in talks with other non-Congress, non-BJP leaders
The Chief Minister’s comments follow his tirade against the Narendra Modi government during the recent public meetings he addressed in Adilabad and other districts.
The issue appeared to have triggered a major controversy with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman said to have inquired about the exact context of the Chief Minister’s remarks. State Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao, who intervened in the matter, reportedly explained to her that it was slip of the tongue.
The response, Mr Rama Rao said, was indicative of the displeasure among people over the failure of successive governments to address their needs.
Opposition parties in the State including the Congress, the TDP, however, remained cautious in their reactions to Chief Minister’s claims on an alternative.
(With inputs from PTI)
