Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) addressed a massively packed mega rally in the Ranga Reddy district on Sunday, Sep 02. Amid speculation of early state polls, the TRS government tried to reach out to voters in the public meet titled ‘Pragati Nivedana’.

The Sunday public meet attracted thousands of TRS supporters to listen to their leader speak on an array of issues,while he announced severalwelfare schemes. Rao, who is eyeing for a non-Congress-non-BJP Federal Front, talks hard on his state’s self-respect.  

In the Pragati Nivedana Sabha, KCR assured his supporters by saying that Telangana government will be no slave to Delhi. Just like Tamil Nadu doesn’t act enslaved, Telangana too will rule itself with self-respect.

On the possibility of an early state election, he gave enough hints that he would soon take a decision on assembly dissolution. Probably, the leader would now be able to take a call on that,since his party was able to arrange such a huge rally with thousands of supporters.

Nevertheless, the CM has his intention clear as he showered gifts to farmers by announcing direct cash transfer of Rs. 4000 per acre every season. He also announced an agriculture insurance scheme for Telangana farmers.

KCR also announced the increase of loan waivers up to Rs. 2 lakhs, while he had already spent Rs. 17,000 crores in last four years, waiving loans up to Rs. 1 lakh.

The chief minister has claimed that Telangana has been the number one state in the country with economic growth in the last four years and this has been possible because of his effort.

Reacting to the slew of welfare commitments by the Telangana chief minister, opposition Congress claimed that this is nothing but desperation from the part of TRS. These new plans would cost the state exchequer around Rs. 60,000 crores, thereby making the state economy cash deficit.

Taking a dig at the Chief Minister’s earlier remark, State Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said it was KCR and the TRS that acted like "gulams (slaves)" to Primer Minister Modi and the BJP.

He further said, “The meeting was nothing but a display of CM’s deep insecurity & a total loss of confidence in the cabinet & his MLAs. A pathetic attempt at reassuring himself. But, the wise people of Telangana won’t forgive him.”

Reacting to KCR’s talk on his party’s commitment, Mr. Reddy tweeted: “Is KCR conducting a meeting to say how he has turned Hyderabad into a Pothole City? If only he spent as much money on fixing potholes instead of fixing his posters, we would be living in a much safer & better Hyderabad.”

The term of KCR-led TRS government in Telangana is till May 2019 hence the assembly poll can happen in line with the upcoming 2019 general elections. However, if the party feels the general mood as favorable, they can even consider an early election.

--Deepak Mohanty