Fight for State in Parliament, KCR Tells BRS MPs

Hyderabad: The BRS will do everything it can to make its presence felt in Parliament in the coming Budget session, with party president K. Chandrashekar Rao directing MPs to ensure the “voice of Telangana” is heard in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Chandrashekar Rao, who met with his party MPs at his farmhouse in Erravalli village on Friday, told them to focus on river water sharing, the yet-to-be-fulfilled promises made by the Centre during the state reorganisation. “It is the responsibility of BRS MPs to raise their voice when state the interests and rights are at stake,” Chandrashekar Rao told the meeting.

The session beginning on January 31 is seen as a do-or-die battle for the BRS which is expected to face an uphill task in the coming Lok Sabha elections. After losing the Assembly elections, the BRS is aware that a poor showing in Lok Sabha elections will leave it demoralised, and that prospects of some MLAs migrating to the Congress cannot be ruled. In light of this, the party has decided to pitch itself as the only one that can speak about Telangana in Parliament.

The BRS had won nine Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections. While party leaders say they are confident of winning at least seven or eight this time, some of them admit that the going will be very tough.

Among the issues discussed at the meeting on Friday were the BC Census, and the revival of the Cement Corporation of India plant, a promise that was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah a few years ago.

The meeting was the first work event chaired by Chandrashekar Rao after his December 7 fall at his farmhouse that required him to undergo hip replacement surgery. The meeting was attended by BRS Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members along with party working president K.T. Rama Rao, and senior leader T. Harish Rao.