BRS is not A team or B team of any party: KCR

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday made it clear that his Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is not B team of BJP, Congress or any other party and claimed that it is the team of farmers, Dalits, backwards and minorities.

Addressing a public meeting at Sarkoli in Solapur district of Maharashtra, he reacted strongly to the comments made by other parties about BRS.

“I want to make it clear to people of Maharashtra and India that BRS is not a team of any party. We are ourselves a party. We are a team of farmers, Dalits, backwards and minorities. We have  no need to become A team or B team of somebody,” said the BRS chief.

KCR’s reaction came a day after Sanjay Raut, a leader of Thakrey group of Shiv Sena, dubbed BRS ‘B’ team of BJP working against Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

At the public meeting at Sarkoli, Bhagirath Bhalke, son of former National Congress Party (MLA) Bharat Bhalke, joined the BRS.

“I can’t understand. We are a small party. We have just made a beginning in Maharashtra. Why are parties so angry at us? Why are they scared and in panic,” asked KCR, adding that they were scared because people were joining BRS.

“Congress calls us B team of BJP and  BJP calls us A team of Congress. We are no team of anybody. We are a team of farmers, backwards, minorities and Dalits,” he said.

He also made it clear that BRS is not confined to Telangana and Maharashtra but it is a national party with the mission to transform India.

The BRS chief claimed that for the first time in India, BRS has given the slogan of ‘ab ki baar kisan sarkar’. “Why no party has given this slogan when 60 per cent of people are engaged in agriculture.

KCR recalled that while responding to criticism by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to his visit and his advice not to do politics in Maharashtra, he had stated that if the Telangana model of farmers’ welfare is replicated in Maharashtra, he would go to Madhya Pradesh but there was no response.

“Show me one party in Maharashtra which did not get the opportunity. Congress ruled for 50 years. NCP, Shiv Sena and BJP all got the opportunities. They could have done something. When the youngest state of Telangana can do so much, why can’t it be done in Maharashtra which is a big and rich state,” he asked.

On statements by some Maharashtra leaders that if Telangana’s schemes are replicated in Maharashtra, the state will go bankrupt, KCR remarked that leaders will go bankrupt and not the state. “Diwala netaon ka nikela, Kisanon ki diwali hogi.”

He voiced concern that 7-10 farmers are commit suicide in Maharashtra every day.

The Telangana Chief Minister called on farmers to unite and bring to power a party of farmers who can do good for them.

He also reiterated that the only solution to all the problems faced by the country is its transformation. He said the country needs to formulate new policies for water and electricity to harness the abundant natural resources it has to irrigate every acre of the land and electrify every house.

KCR asked farmers to go back to their villages and discuss the issues he raised.

“Every Indian should ponder what is India’s goal. Do we have any goal or just wandering aimlessly?  At the time of freedom, we had a goal. There is a need for another freedom fight with the same spirit.”

Stating that 75 years is not a small time, the BRS chief said several countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and China had surged ahead of India.

“Elections come and go and some party will win but we want people to win in the elections,” he said.

KCR said that in recent elections in Karnataka, BJP lost power and Congress came to power but nothing will change because the same policies will continue.

Taking a dig at the Modi government at the Centre, the BRS chief said it announced Digital India but farmers are not benefited from this initiative. Referring to digitisation of land records by bringing Dharani portal in Telangana and scrapping of Talati (patwari) system in Telangana, KCR said this system should also be scrapped in Maharashtra to save farmers from their loot.

“Our Prime Minister has given the slogan Make in India. Why is there a China Bazaar in every town in India? Where has  Bharat Bazar disappeared? Why from manja for kites to Diwali lamps and from firecrackers to Holi colours all are made in China and not India,” he asked.

KCR also trained guns on the Modi government over privatisation of the electricity sector and import of coal from Australia and other countries despite availability of huge coal reserves in India.