National party soon after due deliberations, says KCR

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao, has thrown a bit more light on his proposed national party. During a meeting with Karnataka former chief minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy at Pragathi Bhavan here on Sunday, KCR said that the national party would be floated soon after due consultations and brainstorming with intellectuals, economists and experts. A consensus would also have to be reached on the alternative national political agenda before that, he stated.

During their three-hour-long meeting, the two leaders deliberated a wide range of aspects related to the current political climate and echoed similar sentiments on several issues. Kumaraswamy asserted that the immense experience of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who achieved Telangana state by uniting all sections and moving forward in a democratic and peaceful manner, was required for the Country in the present situation.

KCR is leading the Telangana state on the path of progress by fulfilling the Telangana people's 60-year-old aspirations and he should move forward to constitute an alternative front in the national politics and play a key role, the JDS leader said. Kumaraswamy welcomed the news that CM KCR would soon announce a national party to play a proactive role at the national level. The Karnataka former chief minister opined that it was the urgent need for the country to have a senior leader like KCR due to the space for an alternative in the current national politics and the governance of the country.

Kumaraswamy met Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao at Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad on Sunday afternoon. On reaching Pragathi Bhavan, CM KCR himself accorded a warm welcome to Kumaraswamy and took him inside. Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy, MLCs Madhusudhanachari, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLAs A. Jeevan Reddy, Balka Suman, S. Rajender Reddy and others were present on this occasion.

Country needs the Telangana model

During the meeting, Kumaraswamy held a long discussion with KCR. Kumaraswamy said that they had a meaningful discussion. The two leaders recalled the untiring struggle of KCR for a separate Telangana state, achievement of Telangana statehood in a peaceful manner and leading the state towards progress.

Kumaraswamy congratulated the Telangana Chief Minister, stating that the entire country was discussing the development achieved by Telangana in just a span of 8 years after the formation of Telangana. Whole nation wants to have similar development. Kumaraswamy also shared with KCR the discussion taking place in the country on 24-hour quality free electricity, free drinking water, irrigation, agricultural development, farmer welfare programmes and other schemes which have been implemented in the Telangana state only. In the wake of demand from Karantaka and other neighbouring states, people are demanding Telangana type of governance and its schemes, he said. Kumaraswamy said that he was astonished to see the Telangana model drawing applause from the entire country. The Telangana model is required for the entire country, he felt.

Collective effort for BJP Mukt Bharat

KCR, on his part, explained the need for thwarting divisive politics aimed at a deep divide in the society. The two leaders discussed the dangerous and selfish political approach being adopted by the BJP government at the Centre and its consequences and expressed serious concerns. Both of them arrived at a consensus that they would protect the country at any cost from being pushed into an era of religious hatred. In this direction, they stressed the need for unity of all alternative political forces to safeguard the spirit of the country's democratic federalism.

Kumaraswamy told KCR that people were waiting for a BJP alternative across the country. Kumaraswamy felt that KCR should foray into national politics and contribute his part for the qualitative progress of the country. He said that he would extend his full support if a political party is established for that purpose.

KCR told Kumaraswamy that there was increasing pressure on him to enter national politics and lead the country like he steered Telangana to progress. He said that people were extending their support in public meetings everywhere during his district tours with cheers and slogans to fight against the BJP and Modi's anti-people and autocratic attitude. KCR said that people were completely against the BJP, which was constantly creating problems for Telangana to stall its impressive progressive strides. 

KCR bats for farmers rule in Country

Like in Telangana, KCR explained that in agriculture-based India, all agricultural development schemes including uninterrupted electricity and other incentives given to farmers, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima and waiver of farmers' loans could be implemented across the country. In this direction, the two leaders discussed the negligence of the central rulers in the 75 years of independent India. They condemned the anti-farmer policies adopted by the BJP government at the centre, which is hatching conspiracies to undermine domestic agriculture. During their discussions, the two leaders also felt that the BJP party was not only degrading agricultural sector but also the economic, social and other sectors.

KCR said that the leaders of many farmers' associations from across the country had recently visited the state and toured the fields after learning about the farmer welfare and agricultural development programmes implemented in Telangana. They were surprised after learning about irrigation, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima and other schemes implemented by the Telangana government. They too appealed to him to foray into national politics and take measures to ensure that they also got 24-hour free electricity, irrigation water, Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima, like in the case of Telangana.

Discussion on KCR's national party agenda

The two leaders also discussed at length the agenda of the national party to be launched by KCR soon. They discussed the threat of political and governance crisis in the country if the BJP's destructive political moves to distort the history of the country were not stopped. The people of the country are waiting for an alternative political platform that will carry on the spirit of the Indian Constitution by integrating all communities irrespective of castes, religions and regions, they observed

They arrived at a consensus that they should put an end to the BJP rule, which is exploiting emotive issues to use the upcoming general elections as a platform for that.

KCR-centric debate in the national politics

KCR and Kumaraswamy discussed the feedback from the ground level which shows that the people of the country were fed up with the stereotyped politics that had been going on for 75 years and there was a need for a dynamic governance that suits the current social and economic conditions. They arrived at a consensus on the importance of alternative politics in the country at the moment. KCR made it clear that the formation of the national party and formulation of policies would soon take place after detailed deliberations with intellectuals, economists and experts from various fields and after reaching a consensus on an alternative national agenda.

The discussions in the meeting, which lasted for more than three hours, ended meaningfully.