Kolhapur (Maharashtra): Amid the Opposition's efforts to cobble up numbers in both Houses of Parliament in favour of the no-confidence motion against the Centre and against the Delhi Services Bill, Telangana Chief Minister and BRS national president, K Chandrashekar Rao, on Wednesday declared that his party was neither with the I.N.D.I.A, the Opposition bloc, nor the BJP-led NDA.
Speaking to media persons at Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Wednesday, KCR clarified that the BRS was not alone as it has like-minded partners.
Hitting out at the grand Opposition alliance — Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) — and the Congress, the Telangana CM said, "What is this I.N.D.I.A? They (Congress) ruled the country for over 50 years and could not bring any change to the country. The country is calling for change."
KCR's neutral stance on supporting the Opposition bloc or the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is significant as last year, he had met former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Akhilesh Yadav, as part of efforts to unite the Opposition against the Centre.
Replying to queries on the BRS' political programmes and activities in Maharashtra, the chief minister said, "The BRS is in the process of constituting party committees at various levels (in Maharashtra). The Bharat Rashtra Samithi has sounded the poll bugle and our scheduled events have already begun. We have put together a brigade of 14.10 lakh workers, who have begun the party's groundwork in Maharashtra.”
The BRS Supremo said over 50 per cent of the groundwork in Maharashtra has already been completed. The remaining work in every village will be done in the next 15 to 20 days.
“Maharashtra is blessed with abundance of natural resources. No other state comes close to it in this regard. The state also has immense potential in jobs and wealth creation. However, the city of Aurangabad (which has been renamed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar) is grappling with a water crisis."
He claimed further that the Dalits in Maharashtra were facing continuous struggle and injustice.
“Grave injustice is being meted out to the Dalit community in Maharashtra. Even the United States of America rooted out discrimination by electing an African American (Barack Obama) as President,” the Telangana CM said.
