PM Modi likely to visit Telangana

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Telangana on July 12 to lay the foundation stone for Railway Coach Periodic Overhauling facility at Kazipet.

The state BJP unit also plans to organise a public meeting at Warangal the same day. The schedule of the Prime Minister’s visit is likely to be finalised in a day or two.

State BJP leaders hope that the Prime Minister’s visit will give a boost to the party in the run up to the Assembly elections due to be held later this year.

Narendra Modi was to visit Telangana as part of Maha Jan Sampark Abhiyan, campaign of the party to mark nine years of his government. However, the visit was postponed.

BJP leaders expect that laying of foundation stone for Railway Coach Periodic Overhauling facility at Kazipet by the Prime Minister would go a long way in countering the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) that the BJP-led government at the Centre had done nothing for Telangana.

The Centre had promised Railway Coach Factory to Telangana in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 but it remained unfulfilled. The BRS government, which had even identified land for the location of the coach factory, has been targeting the Modi government for going back on its word. 

Last year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the setting up of a Periodic Overhauling facility at Kazipet.

During his previous visit to Telangana in April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various projects worth over Rs. 11,300 crore. These projects were related to railways, road connectivity and health infrastructure development.

Modi, who has been targeting Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao over family rule, had launched a fresh attack on KCR while addressing BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.

“If you want the welfare of K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter, then vote for BRS. But if you people want the welfare of your sons and daughters and grandchildren, then vote for BJP,” Modi said.

KCR’s daughter Kavitha was named in two charge sheets in the Delhi excise case, but her name was dropped from the third charge sheet filed in April.