KCR's war cry against BJP from Munugode, gives a damn to probes by ED et al

MUNUGODE: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday said that he and his TRS were ready for any confrontation with the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for the sake of the state. In a clear war-cry against the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine, KCR said that he was not the one to be intimidated by central agencies like ED. He even dared the Centre to do whatever it wishes to against him.

KCR also asserted that no welfare scheme would be suspended or abolished and said that they would be continued till his last breath. The Chief Minister also announced that electric meters would not be fixed to bore wells in the state.

He said that agitations and struggles were not new to the people of Telangana and that they would continue to do so to achieve what was needed for the state.

Addressing the Praja Deevena Sabha, seen as a precursor to the forthcoming Munugode Assembly by-election, he appealed to the people of the constituency to teach a befitting lesson to the saffron party.

"The Centre has been dilly-dallying on Telangana's share of Krishna river waters. Is Amit Shah coming to Munugode just to announce that Telangana gets no share from Krishna waters? The BJP leaders in the state indulge in big talk here. Have they ever dared to ask Narendra Modi or Amit Shah for Telangana's share of water?", thundered the TRS chief.

Demanding the BJP-led NDA government to spell out its policy on this matter, KCR vowed to continue his fight against the Centre's indifference. "Telangana is not new to fighting for its demands. Once we decide, we will fight till the last", he said amid thunderous applause.

He also spoke against spreading hatred in the country based on religion. KCR warned the people against voting for the BJP alleging that the BJP would abolish all welfare schemes and impose a heavier tax regime. He also said that voting for Congress would only mean wasting their precious franchise as the party was nowhere in contention.

Appealing to the women, he said that the BJP should be rejected if the prices of essential commodities and gas cylinder were to be restored to earlier normal levels.

Though senior CPI leader Chada Venkat Reddy did not take part in the meeting, as widely anticipated, the party's general secretary Palla Venkat Reddy attended the event to showcase the new-found bonhomie between the TRS and the CPI. Earlier in the day, Chada Venkat Reddy announced that the CPI would support the TRS in the by-election to the Munugode Assembly constituency. The Communists have significant presence in this constituency, with the party winning the seat five times since the 1960s.

Even the Chief Minister could not avoid traffic. As his convoy was supposed to reach Uppal Bhagayat for the rally, his carcade was stuck for a few minutes between Habsiguda and Uppal. Traffic came to a halt for over two km. After the police cleared the traffic, his convoy moved on

Here are the highlights of KCR's speech:

♦ I have been talking about the fluoride travails of Munugode people all across the state.

♦ At the height of Telangana agitation, I toured the erstwhile Nalgonda district and brought the fluoride issue under focus. After Telangana formation, we initiated corrective steps. And thanks to them, today we are providing zero-flouride water.

♦ Though we managed to get drinking water, we need to get irrigation water through more projects.

♦ We need to discuss and debate about the happenings around us. We have been deliberating with progressive and like-minded parties on how to stave off the anti-people forces.

♦ You know how this 'golmal' by-election was necessitated here. What was the need for it? For whose benefit this by-election is being imposed on the people? If you can't figure out the motive behind this, you will be doomed.

♦ All progressive-minded parties should come together to banish these vested elements

♦ We wanted the tribunal to clarify on our share of river waters. But Modi does not agree.

♦ Why are you not deciding our share of Krishna river water?

♦ We are ready for a confrontation with anyone, even with Amit Shah.

♦ I urged the CPI leaders to unify our efforts against anti-national forces not just in Telangana but throughout the country.

♦ By deciding not to contest in the Manugode by-election, CPI-CPM is demonstrating its support for the TRS party. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the CPI party.

♦ This pact indicates that the TRS party and the CPI-CPM party will continue to work together

♦ I demand the BJP to spell out its policy on river water sharing during their meeting in Munugode

♦ No section prospered in the last eight years of the BJP-led NDA rule.

♦ I bluntly refused to fix electric meters for bore wells.

♦ I'm speaking here now, and you (BJP) will be speaking on the same ground tomorrow. We noticed your large banners here but all we and our people require is water, not your banners.

♦ There is a conspiracy to infuse corporate-style agriculture in the country.

♦ In Mugode, more than one lakh people are being benefitted from Rythu Bandhu scheme.

♦ It has been eight years since your party came to power, but not a single good work has been done in the country. Your party's efforts benefit no one. You are selling airports, banks, aircraft, gas enterprises and roads. There is nothing left to sell anymore.

♦ Families of 1300 farmers received Rythu Beema.

♦ Munugode by-election is just not an electoral fight. But it is a fight for our existence.

♦ Farmers in Telangana do not need to request or apply for Rythu Bandu money. All farmers are receiving Rhythu Bandu money while sitting at home.

♦ BJP always lost the deposit in Munugode.

♦ Manugode election is not merely a by-poll; it is our pillar for the people of Manugode.

♦ Only thieves will be worried about ED threats, not KCR, who is clean and works for the welfare of the people.

♦ I am able to fight against Narendra Modi, only because of all your help. And if you don't support me, I won't be able to fight on.

♦ You (BJP) make frivolous claims but there is no power or water in the nation's capital. In Telangana, there is no power outage. Telangana is the only state in the country where there is never a power outage.

♦ The prevailing trend of casteist and religious politics is dangerous. This has never happened before under any Prime Minister.