Will unite entire country by founding national party if necessary: TRS Chief KCR

HYDERABAD: Accusing the BJP and the Congress of failing to meet the aspirations of the people, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has said that he would start a national party "if necessary" to herald reforms and "unite the country".

Kicking off his party's poll campaign from Karimnagar on Sunday, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president stressed on the need for an "alternative federal politics" in the country and said he would play a major role.

"If this country is to improve if it has to move forward on par with other countries at an international level with its head held high these two (parties).... should be made to run away.

"Only if the Congress and the BJP are made to run away, alternative federal politics will come in this country. The writ of states should run," he said.

Of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, the TRS is seeking 16 for itself leaving one for its ally the AIMIM, led by Asaduddin Owaisi, to ensure that Telangana gets a "good" deal post the general elections.

"Not just these 16 MPs, by gathering 100 to 150 MPs, Telangana should influence the country's politics," he said.

Of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, the TRS is seeking 16 for itself leaving one for its ally the AIMIM, led by Asaduddin Owaisi, to ensure that Telangana gets a "good" deal post the general elections.

"Not just these 16 MPs, by gathering 100 to 150 MPs, Telangana should influence the country's politics," he said.

He alleged that with the Congress and the BJP at the helm of affairs since Independence, the country has not been able to progress the way it should have.

Citing an example, he said the country is blessed with 70,000 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water, however there is still shortage of drinking and irrigation water.

Power plants are not being used effectively. Many reforms are required in governance and judiciary, among others, he claimed, adding China has progressed greatly, though it was backward earlier. "Many changes need to come. Your blessings are needed for it… By taking your order in Karimnagar, by observing the developments after this election… I submit that I will unite the entire country by founding a national party if necessary," Rao said.

"If you bless (TRS), I submit that I will play a major role in changing the fate of this country," he said.

The TRS supremo said that during Amit Shah's visit to Telangana, the BJP president claimed that the Centre has given plenty of funds to the state.

"This is not true. He has given us nothing," Rao alleged, adding the funds received were due according to Constitution.

Telangana is among the six to seven states that make the country run, he claimed.

"The local Congress and BJP leaders are speaking today with big mouths as if there is no problem, no problem of drinking water, as if they only took contract for Hindu religion. Are you only Hindu? Are we not Hindu," he posed.