KCR tears into BJP, slams it for adopting "divisive politics"

He said he he will play his role to the best of his abilities in saving the country.In his concluding remark at the TRS 21st Foundation Day celebrations here, Rao said the NDA government has failed in all fronts and questioned its policies that have left India lagging behind neighbouring China, Singapore and the UAE.Observing that divisive politics being played by the BJP needs to be curbed, he said the situation in the country is not nice, no one is satisfied.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandaraskehar Rao on Wednesday launched a broadside against the ruling BJP at the Centre, charging it with adopting divisive politics to cover up its failures and asked what has Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved in his eight years in office.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief also pitched for an alternative agenda for the nation building and announced his party playing a key role in it. He said he he will play his role to the best of his abilities in saving the country.

In his concluding remark at the TRS' 21st Foundation Day celebrations here, Rao said the NDA government has failed in all fronts and questioned its policies that have left India lagging behind neighbouring China, Singapore and the UAE.

Observing that divisive politics being played by the BJP needs to be curbed, he said ''the situation in the country is not nice, no one is satisfied. Not (political) front or tent, an alternative agenda for the people is required.'' He expressed concern over ''Hindutva'' agenda being carried by the BJP and questioned how Hindutva could be in danger when the President, PM, Chief Justice of India and most CMs are from the majority community.

Cheap politics is being played in the country, while Muslim countries and Christian majority United States are making efforts to accommodate Hindus keeping their countries' growth in mind, he said.

Rao further said divisive politics is spreading like a cancer in the country. ''What is important, caste or people?'' he asked questioning the Modi government's performance.

''What has Modi done in the last 8 years? What are the achievements? In agriculture, power, drinking water, tribals, women -- nothing has been done.'' The Modi government is spreading lies and trying to polarise the country for political mileage, which will have undesirable consequences, he warned, and added the country has fallen in all developmental parameters.

''If law and order collapses, the country will regress. We have to oppose this. We have to save our country,'' he said and asserted, ''on behalf of our state and since our state is part of the country, I will play a role to the best of my abilities.'' Stating that India has potential to surpass even the US as the country has conducive environment, the TRS chief said, ''We can achieve 100 per cent victory...to set an agenda for the nation, I will work as a soldier.'' The 13 resolutions passed by the party today reflected a sentiment that ''not only Telangana (but) the entire country should grow.'' Rao said global economists including those from Harvard University as well as 2,000-odd retired civil servants will be invited to deliberate on economic policies required to push the country on a growth trajectory.

Structural changes in the policies are required as farmers are not able to get water despite the country having enough water resources and the same is the situation in the power sector, he said.

In a veiled attack on Modi's leadership, the TRS chief said, ''Becoming Prime Minister is not important. It is not important to be a leader of one party or the other. What is important is taking the country ahead leaving behind (political) fronts or tents.'' Neighbouring China is progressing well and some say due to its policies, which is attributed to a dictatorial form of governance in the communist country, he said, and asked ''If our policies were better, we should have been ahead. What is the reason for China's growth.'' China's economy is USD 16 trillion, while India is USD 3 trillion. Even Singapore being a small country has been able to attract a better number of tourists than India, he said.

Referring to the view of some that playing a national role would require huge funds, the TRS chief said the party has 60 lakh members and a contribution of an average Rs 1,000 from each member will fetch about Rs 600 crore.

He said the party's financials are strong as it has assets worth over Rs 1,000 crore, including Rs 451 crore in fixed deposit and Rs 861 crore as electoral bonds.

Setting up of a TRS Bhawan in Delhi is underway. Rao said the surveys conducted by the consulting firms hired by the party showed that TRS would win over 90 seats out of 119 in the 2023 assembly polls. Earlier in the day, KCR said the country needs an alternative agenda, not political fronts or regrouping and called for the emergence of a ''new political force'' in which his party could play a key role for the country's development.

In his welcome address that stretched for an hour and a half in the morning, Rao expressed concern over divisive politics and stressed that a ''new political force'' should emerge in which TRS is ready to play a key role for the nation's development.

''What is required and desirable are not political fronts. Many such fronts have come, what happened? Not political realignment, what is required is an alternative agenda,'' Rao said amid speculation that he would announce a political front today, even as he had made efforts to forge a coalition of non-BJP parties to take on the saffron party.