Amit Shah takes on KCR, kicks off BJP campaign

​Mahbubnagar/Hyderabad: Kick-starting campaign for the Telangana Assembly elections, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday launched a pincer attack on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for going in for early elections.

"KCR is afraid of losing the poll-battle if the elections are held as scheduled," the BJP supremo said while addressing a huge public meeting at MVS College grounds in Mahbubnagar. “After saying that he (KCR) was game for simultaneous elections, the Chief Minister had suddenly developed cold feet and was now going in for early polls,” he said. 

"How can KCR, who cannot win if the elections are held as scheduled, win if they are advanced?" he asked, and reminded the people that this public meeting signaled the battle with KCR for Telangana.  "Have no doubts. The BJP will wrest Telangana from TRS," he said.

Shah, disapproving of the alliance between TRS and AIMIM, said KCR has befriended the chief of the latter Asaduddin Owaisi as he was afraid of him. "KCR, who is afraid of Owaisi, is not even celebrating Telangana Liberation Day officially which falls on September 17,” he said. “If KCR is afraid of Owaisi, how can he protect the self-respect of the people of Telangana?” he asked. 

The BJP will celebrate Telangana Liberation Day across the nation after coming to power in the next elections, the BJP president said, accusing the Telangana government of inaction against foreigners who were living illegally in Telangana without any valid documents for political reasons.
The BJP strongman also hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, describing him as one who always lives in dreams.  He should realise that since 2014 till now sweeping changes had occurred in the political landscape of the country, he said and sounded to the people caution against the Congress. 

"It has the history of humiliating its leaders," he said, referring to former chief minister late T Anjaiah and former Prime Minister late P V Narasimha Rao and trying to strike an emotive chord with them. Shah said Rahul Gandhi has been dreaming that the Congress would win the next elections. He has been saying this wherever he went so far including Telangana. But the fact is that the Congress would be wiped out from the country after the next elections, he said.  

Earlier at Hyderabad, speaking to mediapersons, the BJP chief demanded an answer from the Chief Minister as to why the people should bear the burden of hundreds of crores of election expenditure due to early elections. Scotching rumours that the BJP has a tacit understanding with the TRS, the saffron party chief said that it was his party's principal rival in the elections. "We will fight with our full strength in the ensuing elections in all the Assembly segments,” he added.

Shah said since the TRS was against the Congress, it had supported the BJP in regard to GST, Vice-President’s election and the like. There was nothing to read in between the lines, he said, in reply to a query from a mediaperson. Despite knowing that the Centre would not agree, KCR had sent the proposal for 12 per cent reservation to the Muslims as part of his vote bank politics, Shah said, adding: “If KCR comes back to power, he will continue to engage in the vote bank politics.” 

He said the recent Central Cabinet decision to increase the Minimum Support Price (MSP) would help farmers cultivating different crops across the country. And, it will come into effect from the current agriculture season of Kharif and Rabi, he said. 

Shah said increasing crude oil prices in the international market and loss of rupee value against US dollar are some of the reasons for the increase in the petrol and diesel prices. However, the government is aware of the feelings of the people and it is on the job to figure out a solution and it will be announced soon, he said.

In the morning, after his arrival in a special flight at the Begumpet Airport, Shah inaugurated and participated in Swachhata Hi Seva, a nationwide cleanliness programme at Bheema Maidan Road in Domalguda, and offered prayers at the Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza in the Old City.