KCR prevails upon PM Modi for early polls in Telangana

​New Delhi/Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar is understood to have persuaded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help in holding early elections to the Telangana Assembly along with polls for four northern states in December.

Chandrasekhar Rao, who arrived in Delhi and was closeted with the Prime Minister on Saturday for about 20 minutes, where, apart from his wish list for the state, he had explained to him (PM) his intention to dissolve the Assembly most probably on September 6, which would allow necessary time for the Election Commission to club the Telangana Assembly elections with the polls for the northern states.

The Chief Minister wanted Modi's help that the Election Commission would hold the elections after he dissolved the Assembly and that he would remain caretaker Chief Minister of the state until polls are over. In other words, he did not want imposition of President's rule, a possibility that is hanging like a Damocles’ sword.

It is learnt that KCR explained to him that if Telangana goes to polls early, it would come to power and at the time of the Lok Sabha elections next year, it would help him win more number of Parliamentary seats, indicating that he would be in a better position to help the BJP in case it needed the support of TRS MPs in forming the government at the Centre. 

The TRS supremo has also explained to the Prime Minister the people’s support his government is enjoying for its various welfare programmes launched during the last four years in the new state of Telangana. He requested Modi to extend Centre’s support to his plan to dissolve the Assembly and fight elections early this year end.    
       
The CM also brought to the notice of Modi the issues pending for clearances and approvals from the Centre pertaining to the state. Nod for zonal system, release of Rs 450 crore for the development of backward districts, release of central share of interest on the loans to be given to women societies and farmers, bifurcation of the High Court, funds for the Regional Ring Road and allotment of Defence lands for building secretariat were discussed in the meeting.

Chandrasekhar Rao, raising several other issues, said: “The AP State Reorganisation Act provides for special assistance for the development of backward districts in the successor states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The first, second and third instalments of assistance were released amounting to Rs 450 crore each (Rs 50 crore for 9 districts of Telangana). 

The fourth instalment is yet to be released. Under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), 9 out of the then 10 districts of Telangana were considered as backward. With the reorganization of districts, the number of districts in the state now stands at 31. With the formation of the new districts, the developmental and administrative expenditure has considerably increased putting immense pressure on the state finances. 

NITI Aayog also had addressed to the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, GoI, recommending the release of Rs 450 crore to the state".  Sources said the Prime Minister was all praise for the meticulous plan of the CM and assured him of speedier action in getting the President's assent for the new zonal system. The Prime Minister was also favourable to the proposal to raise the borrowing limits of the state and directed the former to sort out the matter with the Union Finance Minister. 

KCR also seems to have suggested to the PM that early elections in as many states as possible would be in the interest of the BJP and if any state was ready to go for it, it should be allowed to do so (along with the Assembly elections to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh).