Hyderabad: Launching a broadside at the Centre, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao predicted that the BJP will be ousted from power within the next 20 months. For the first time in the Assembly, he also announced that the TRS would launch a national political party soon to expose the BJP’s anti-people policies and inefficient governance.
“In next 20 months, we will drive away the anti-people government at the Centre. When a non-BJP government is formed, we will ensure that free power is provided to the agriculture sector, benefiting around 15 crore agricultural families in the country,” he declared, while taking part in a discussion on ‘Central Electricity bill – Ramifications’ in the Assembly on Monday.
Chandrashekhar Rao lambasted the BJP government for waiving off nearly Rs 12 lakh crore loans of the corporate companies but refusing to supply free power to the agriculture sector which costs only Rs 1.45 lakh crore. He accused the Centre of imposing multiple restrictions on the State government’s borrowings to slow down its progress and the State government is considering approaching the courts in this regard.
On the BJP leaders reacting sarcastically to the TRS floating national party, he demanded to know if the BJP took a contract to be the only national party in the country. Ridiculing the union Home Minister’s statement to wipe out all Opposition parties in the country, he dared the BJP to ban all other political parties.
Challenging the BJP leaders for an open debate on the Centre’s inefficiency in tapping the potential of the agriculture sector, the Chief Minister said in the name of reforms, the government was bringing laws to loot the people. He stated that Telangana was denied an additional borrowing amount of Rs 25,000 crore after it refused to implement power reforms.
“The union government sold ports, airports, and railway stations among others. Now the Centre is trying to hand over the agriculture and power sectors to corporate companies. The moment farmers give up, the corporate companies will enter the market and take over agriculture as well as farmers will be forced to work in their own fields.
The Chief Minister revealed that the Centre was pressurising the State to privatise power distribution companies (discoms) and RTC to obtain Rs 1,000 crore incentives. He accused the Centre for intervening and pressurising the State to stop free power supply to the agriculture sector, though the State government did not seek any support. “The union Finance Minister is sending letters asking us to sell off the RTC,” he stated.
Chandrashekhar Rao criticised the Centre’s inefficiency in utilizing water, power, and other resources which are abundantly available, to develop the nation. He said the ‘Make in India‘ campaign remained as mere slogan, as even national flags, as well as smart electricity meters, were being imported from China. “The entire food sector is on the verge of destruction, due to the Centre’s policies and inefficiency of those who are ruling the nation. The Centre lacks vision and clarity on assessment of the market demands,” he said.
The Chief Minister also found fault with the Centre issuing notices to Telangana to pay over Rs 6,000 crore towards pending power bills to Andhra Pradesh along with interest. He stated that it was Andhra Pradesh that owes Rs 17,828 crore towards dues pertaining to electricity, Telangana’s share in various projects like Krishnapatnam, and also the employee’s trust shares, to Telangana after deducting the Telangana’s dues to AP. He demanded the Centre make Andhra Pradesh pay Telangana the remaining dues.
