Never said KCR can't be defeated: Muralidhar Rao

 HYDERABAD: Senior BJP leader P. Muralidhar Rao on Saturday clarified that he did not imply that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao cannot be defeated by making welfare programmes a poll platform, but was pointing out that the BRS chief can be defeated by highlighting the gap between his promises and their implementation.

Muralidhar Rao said: “The people are angry and if this gap can be explained, then that is the route to defeating BRS, is what I said, and I stand by what I said.”

Muralidhar Rao, whose comments during an informal chat with mediapersons on Friday caused consternation in the BJP ranks, told reporters on Saturday that he said nothing new.

He said some sections of the media selectively picked his comments to suit their purpose and make it appear as if he said that the Telangana state Chief Minister cannot be defeated in the elections.

On the topic of welfare issues, he said that the BRS claims a so-called ‘Telangana model’, which was just a fabrication of various announcements and promises.

“Someone saying we will give you three doles if they are giving two is not what will work; what will work is a focus on failures to implement the promises, be it for Dalit welfare, or the two-bedroom houses or other promises,” Muralidhar Rao said.