KCR announces BRS fight in Maharashtra local bodies elections

KANDHAR LOHA, Maharashtra: Telangana Chief Minister and President of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) on Sunday announced that his party would contest on a full scale in the forthcoming local bodies and zilla parishad elections in Maharashtra. He gave a clarion call to the farmers, Dalits and Minorities of the state to give a jolt to the existing parties and usher in a new era of transformation based on the Telangana model of development.

Addressing a massive public meeting at Kandhar Loha of Nanded district, the second of the BRS since its transformation from its erstwhile TRS, KCR ridiculed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for questioning his presence in Maharashtra. “When I came to Nanded in February, (Devendra) Fadnavis Ji was asking, as the Telangana Chief Minister, what business I have in Maharashtra. I’m an Indian citizen and I have business in every state.”

KCR threw a gauntlet at Fadnavis and his BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra, saying that they could stop him from coming by implementing all the pro-farmer initiatives of Telangana. “I can list five things for you which can prevent me from visiting Maharashtra. Give farmers Rs 10,000 per acre as crop assistance; provide 24-hour, quality electricity and free water; announce Rs 5 lakh to the families in the event of farmers’ deaths as part of farmer insurance scheme and emulate Dalit Bandhu, a fabulous scheme, meant for the upliftment of Dalits. All these are being impressively executed in Telangana. Please implement them in Maharashtra too. If you don’t, I will keep coming to Maharashtra,” he commented in his inimitable style.

He slammed both the Congress and the BJP for failing to change the fortunes of farmers and the people even after ruling the country for 76 years. Asking the public if they had noticed any difference between the two national parties, he said that there could have been some difference for some leaders but the fate of the farmers and the general public remained unchanged.

The Telangana Chief Minister said that, while flying to Nanded, he could observe from the skies only parched lands below due to acute shortage of water. Claiming that Maharashtra and the entire country could be provided with surplus water and electricity, he wanted the people to think and understand as to why these quintessential things were not being provided when the same could be given in the neighbouring Telangana.

KCR said that it was the Prime Minister and the BJP leaders who were standing between the abundance of natural resources and the people who needed them badly. Recalling the distressing times in Telangana, he said that there were times when there was no water and electricity for farming in the state and everyday, at least four farmers would die by suicide. “Anguished and reduced to tears, I kept prevailing upon the farmers to wait for the emergence of his government in the state to change their lives. Today, with an abundance of water and electricity besides a host of farmer-friendly initiatives, they are all happy. Don’t you think the farmers of Maharashtra too deserve this transformation?” he asked the participants at the public meeting.

Reiterating his popular slogan, ‘Ab ki baar kisaan sarkar’, he appealed to the Maharashtra farmers, Dalits and Minorities to deliver a jolt to the existing political parties in the upcoming local bodies elections. He also announced that his BRS would field its candidates in all the places in the corporation, municipal and zilla panchayat elections in Maharashtra.

He claimed that he was receiving requests from all across Maharashtra to tour other parts of the state and promised to do the same in future. “There is an overwhelming response to the BRS entering Maharashtra electoral politics. People are increasingly gravitating to the Telangana model of governance. Sarpanches of the border villages of Nanded district have passed a unanimous resolution demanding the Maharashtra government to either implement Telangana’s welfare measures or allow them to merge with the neighbouring state.

“After KCR came to Nanded last time, they (BJP coalition government) have announced Rs 6,000 towards assistance to farmers. Why throw crumbs at them instead of giving them Rs 10,000 per acre?” he questioned. The BRS chief said that there was no dearth of money (dhan) and resources in Maharashtra. The only thing lacking was a strong will (mann) to implement public welfare measures, he commented.

Asking farmers to stay united, he cautioned everyone against being divided in the name of religion, caste and region.