KCR to use TRS plenary to launch offensive against Centre

Hyderabad, April 17 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is gearing to use the TRS plenary scheduled here on April 27 to step up his fight against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

The day-long plenary, to mark the foundation day of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), will pass as many as 13 resolutions on various issues.

According to party sources, some of the resolutions will be on state-Centre relations, which turned sour in recent months, especially after the Centre refused to procure paddy from the state.

The plenary is likely to pass a resolution condemning the Centre's discriminatory approach towards Telangana and reiterate the party's demand for uniform procurement policy for the entire country.

KCR, as the TRS chief is popularly known, is likely to use the platform to go all out against the Centre on various issues ranging from paddy to ongoing communal tensions in different parts of the country and from unfulfilled promises of the Modi government to increasing prices of fuel and other essential commodities.

KCR's decision to hold the plenary comes amid the stand-off with the Centre. The TRS chief last week led a dharna in Delhi to demand the Centre to procure entire paddy from Telangana during the ongoing Rabi season. He had set a 24-hour deadline.

With no response from the Centre, the next day, the state cabinet decided that the State government will procure the entire paddy from farmers. "This decision is to save farmers from losses. We don't mind bearing a loss of Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore by procuring the paddy," said KCR, who claimed that by staging a protest in Delhi he succeeded in exposing the Modi government before the entire country.

He, however, maintained that the Centre will have to compensate the State for the losses as it is the Constitutional duty of the union government to ensure food security in the country. One of the resolutions to be passed at the plenary is likely to reiterate this point.

The TRS, through another resolution, is likely to voice its concern over the growing communal tensions and hatred in parts of the country. KCR has been targeting the BJP government for whipping up communal passions for political gains.

At the plenary, the TRS leader may launch another scathing attack on BJP. After the cabinet meeting last Tuesday, KCR had warned that the communal strife will push back India by 100 years.

He had alleged that the policies of the BJP government were pushing the country towards a disaster. "It will take 100 years for the country to recover," he said.

KCR said that the country suffered in every aspect under BJP rule. "The GDP has come down, the economy is in bad shape, unemployment is rising, industries are getting shut down, cesses and taxes are being hiked indiscriminately and prices of essential commodities are rising," he said.

The TRS chief alleged that the BJP was drunk high on power and whenever real issues are raised, "it comes up with Kashmir Files, Pulwama or something to garner votes".

KCR alleged that during Rama Navami, trouble was created in states like Gujarat and Karnataka where elections are due. "They do this drama before elections. Stones are pelted to create tension and they then try to politically capitalize on the situation," he said.

Through another resolution, the TRS is likely to lash out at the Centre for not fulfilling the promises made to Telangana at the time of creation of the State. These include national status to an irrigation project, setting up of a railway coach factory, a steel factory, tribal university and an Indian Institute of Management (IIM).

It will also slam Modi government for going back on the commitment to create Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in Hyderabad. The party will highlight how the Centre made no contribution to any project of the state during last seven hours and how it even ignored NITI Aayog's recommendation to provide funds for the state's flagship projects like Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha aimed at restoration of ancient tanks and supply of drinking water to every house, respectively.

As KCR has been taking steps to lead the efforts for a national alternative, the TRS plenary may pass a resolution in this regard. The TRS chief repeatedly said he would play a leading role in providing an alternative.

As part of his efforts, KCR met leaders of various political parties recently. They included Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhv Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

KCR may brief the plenary about the talks he held with leaders of various parties and his plans in the run-up to 2024 elections.