KCR to kick off poll campaign

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will kickstart the BRS campaign for the upcoming Assembly polls on Wednesday from Medak, where he will hold a ‘Pragathi Shankaravam’ public meeting.

Sources said that the party’s poll campaign will centre around the theme of ‘Pragathi Shankaravam’, which translates to ‘sounding the development bugle’, under which the leaders will highlight the developmental works taken up by the party over the past nine years, since statehood was granted in 2014.

As this will be the first public appearance by Chandrashekar Rao since the announcement of candidates for 115 Assembly seats on Monday, the Chief Minister is expected to launch the distribution of enhanced Aasara pension to the physically challenged, hiked from Rs 3,016 to Rs 4,016, besides announcing a slew of other sops.

On Tuesday, finance minister T. Harish Rao visited Medak to review arrangements for the event, with thousands of people from all segments in Medak likely to attend the meeting.

Addressing media personnel in Medak, Harish Rao said that Chandrashekar Rao’s public meeting in Medak assumes significance as it was the first public meeting since the announcement of BRS candidates for Assembly polls. “While the BRS is racing ahead by announcing candidates for all seats and launching campaigning, Opposition parties are left stunned, with no strong candidates to take on BRS,” Harish said.

On Wednesday, the Chief Minister will also inaugurate the newly-constructed Integrated District Offices Complex and the Superintendent of Police’s office. He is also expected to launch the distribution of Aasara pensions to beedi thekedars (suppliers).