TRS will hit century, asserts KTR

Hyderabad: "If TRS was back in power in GHMC elections, there will be double-engine growth. The TRS has done a lot for changing the face of Hyderabad and making it into a happening and global city. We have a big list of what we have done for the city. Whether we have done enough or not is a different story, said TRS working president K T Rama Rao.

In an exclusive interview to The Hans India, KTR said he was confident that the pink party would better its performance of 2016 and bag over 100 seats. The city will also have the first woman mayor after formation of a new state.

He said he was pained to see the way the BJP was campaigning in the city. "One can understand political rhetoric but what they are doing is whipping up religious passions and spewing venom. On the other hand TRS is presenting its progress report before the people. The saffron party is bankrupt and has nothing to showcase or offer. Hence they are bringing Delhi leaders for Galli elections. The worst part is that they had released a chargesheet against TRS. Ask people they will tell you how TRS has changed the face of the city," he said.

Replying to a question, KTR said that their main rival in the elections was AIMIM.

"TRS will get the highest number of seats followed by AIMIM while BJP and Congress are fighting for third position," he said. The TRS will also gain at least another 5 seats in the areas dominated by AIMIM. "We have no alliance with them," he clarified.

Asked about the promises made by the Congress party in its manifesto, KTR said it was the joke of 2020. They have promised many things which Baldia cannot do. "Only the state government will have to deliver them. The person who prepared the manifesto does not seem to have minimum common sense or understanding about the responsibilities of GHMC," he said.

Rubbishing rumours that the mayor post would be offered to AIMIM, he said TRS will win on its own and will not have to depend even on any ex-officio votes to elect its mayor. "The mayor and deputy mayor will be ours," he said emphatically.

When asked why TRS was taking a tough stand against BJP, he said they had done nothing for the state. "On the other hand they ridicule us, they challenge us and release a chargesheet... Karnataka CM writes a letter and four days later he gets Rs 650 crore, similarly Gujarat gets Rs 500 crore but when it comes to Hyderabad they have not given anything. We only got statutory devolution not a paisa more," said KTR.

On the issue of Rohingyas, KTR said that the Centre should explain what they had done. "Who allowed them, who has given an Aadhaar card? All that the BJP knows is to incite passions. Why is BJP against Muslims? Interestingly, even the Union minister says it is TRS-AIMIM Sarkar here. Does he have any shame? Was AIMIM ever part of Government," asked KTR.

When questioned as to why they had not announced dates for Warangal and Khammam elections, KTR said the term of Khammam municipal corporation would end in April and it would be done in due course.