Congress, BJP copied schemes of TRS government, claims Telangana Chief Minister KCR

The Congress and the BJP "copied" the schemes being implemented by his government in Telangana, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao claimed on Monday. "Day before yesterday Congress and today BJP announced election manifesto. I am feeling very proud. Both have copied many schemes that the Telangana government has introduced. Both have incorporated in their manifestos," he said during an election meeting at Vikarabad.

Rao claimed the two parties copied 'Rythu Bandhu (investment support scheme for farmers) being implemented by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government.

Realisation was dawning on the two parties and the Congress talked about transfer of powers to States, he said. Rao, who earlier spoke about optimum utilisation of river waters, quoted the BJP as saying it would focus on efficient use of water resources.

The chief minister said he has been raising issues like effective utilisation of river water and electricity for some time now.

"Telangana needs to play a role at the Centre in national interest," he said, adding the Telangana Rashtra Samithi should win 16 Lok Sabha seats for the purpose.

Alleging that the country was in a poor state on various issues with even basic needs not being met, Rao said a qualitative change needs to come in the Central government.

Claiming that a coalition government would be formed at the Centre post Lok Sabha polls with the BJP getting less than 150 Lok Sabha seats and the Congress securing below 100 seats, he said regional parties would call the shots.

Favouring Telangana getting national status for an irrigation project, Rao said the state should be able to play a key role for the purpose. Rao, who favours formation of a federal front government at the Centre, said Telangana should play a major role with 16 MPs.

Hitting out at Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for his reported attack on him, Rao claimed that Naidu would be losing the elections badly.

Assembly polls are also being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh. Referring to Naidu's alleged attack on him on the issue of special status for Andhra Pradesh, Rao said his party supported the promise of giving special category status to AP.

He claimed that the YSR Congress was going to win in a big way. TRS MPs would also support the cause of special status for AP, Rao said. The TRS, YSR Congress and the AIMIM together would have 35-36 MPs in the Lok Sabha (among 42 in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh), he claimed.

The TRS supported the construction of Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh and wanted Telangana to get its share.

Telangana did not have any dispute with people of Andhra Pradesh and the problem was only with a few allegedly trouble-some people like Naidu, he said. The TRS and TDP have been bitter rivals.

The TDP had contested the assembly polls in Telangana in December last in alliance with the Congress and others.

Attacking the BJP, the chief minister said divisive politics should end and all sections of society should live in harmony, Rao added.