TRS Foundation Day: Party unveils future national role, KCR lambasts BJP

The ruling TRS on Wednesday celebrated its 21st Foundation Day, unveiling its ambitious future national role at the grand event here while party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao used the platform to train his guns against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA, which his organisation dubbed as 'NPA' (non-performing asset).

A total of 13 resolutions were adopted at the meeting attended by about 3,000 party leaders and workers, where KCR promised to work to the best of his abilities in saving the country, which he said was suffering in various sectors due to the NDA's policies.

In a political resolution adopted at the meeting, TRS resolved the party should play the key role in national politics for the wider interest of the country as the BJP is exploiting ''communal sentiments'' for its political convenience.

Moving one of the 13 resolutions, TRS Working President KT Rama Rao -- son of KCR -- alleged the NDA government has failed on all fronts and described it as a ''non-performing asset (NPA)''.

TRS also passed a resolution calling for a fight against the undemocratic attitude of the BJP-led central government which is allegedly eroding the federal values proposed by the Constitution of India.

Besides, the party resolved to fight against bigotry to preserve the culture of harmony in the country and that it should fight against religious fanaticism.

Resolutions were also passed regarding the inter-state Krishna river water dispute, women's reservation bill, withdrawal of GST for handloom and setting up Navaodaya schools and medical colleges in the state.

The event marked the sounding of the poll bugle for the 2023 state assembly polls, with the ruling party setting its eyes for a third term in a row since coming to power in 2014, when the state came into existence.

TRS, established on April 27, 2001 to seek the formation of an independent Telangana state, achieved its objective on June 2, 2014 with the bifurcation of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

KCR, whose party has been at loggerheads with the BJP-led Centre, especially over the paddy procurement issue, launched a broadside against the saffron party, charging it with adopting divisive politics to cover up its failures.

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.'' 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.'' KCR also 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.

''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 ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. On remarks 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.