Third front: ‘TS set to play an active role at national level’

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asserted that Telangana is set to play an active role at the national level where efforts have been intensified to form an alternative to the two principle parties — the Congress and the BJP.

The proposed alternative will be the “People Front of India”, not a simple coalition of some political parties, and it will reflect the aspirations of people in all the States. “The proposed alternative is not a mere political party. There is a strong basis for its formation. People are dissatisfied with the performance of successive governments at the Centre, which miserably failed in leveraging the economy and reaching out the benefits to people at the grassroots level,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s comments assume significance in the light of his recent deliberations with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and his proposed visit to New Delhi in April first week when he is expected to hold discussions with leaders of non-Congress and non-BJP parties on the proposed alternative. “It is going to be a good beginning and Telangana is sure to play a crucial role at the national level,” he asserted, replying to the discussion on the appropriation bills in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

He said the proposed alternative was part of efforts to usher in qualitative change in politics at a time when the Central government was trying to centralise more powers and this was leading to unrest among the States. This was evident from the letters addressed by the State governments, those of the southern States in particular, which were objecting to the Centre’s decision to have a say in all affairs.

“Why should the Centre keep powers relating to key subjects of relevance to the States? Agriculture, health, rural and urban infrastructure, school and higher education and other subjects should be devolved to the States,” he said. Though there were claims on following federal structure of democracy, it remained on paper as the States were not given an opportunity to leverage their strengths.