(S.Ravi Seshu)
Except for the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president Dr.K.Laxman’s scathing remarks against the KCR-led Telangana Rastra Samiti government in the party’s Sammelan in LB Stadium, Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s visit in Telangana on Sunday reflected the true spirit of ‘cooperative federalism.
The Chief Minister of Telangana Mr.K.Chandrasekhar Rao, who is not so happy with NDA government’s cooperation to the youngest State, accorded a rousing reception to the PM and his Ministers-Piyush Goyal, Suresh Prabhu and AR Ananth Kumar and the Prime Minister on his part never uttered a single word against the TRS government in his two public meetings, one in Gajwel and the other in Hyderabad.
Launching developmental projects worth Rs.17,000 crore including Rs 10,598.98 crore National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) 1,600 MW Telangana Super Thermal Power Project (Phase I) in Ramagundam city and phase-1 of ‘Mission Bhagiratha‘, a flagship project of Telangana government aimed at providing piped drinking water to every household in the state, Modi showered praise on the TRS government. “Telangana is just a two-year-old state, yet it has been able to fulfil the expectations of the people. Whenever CM KCR has met me, he has spoken about the state’s development and about water related issues,” he said while staying away from committing to the demands put forth by KCR.
Modi stressed the need for ‘cooperative federalism’ and said: “There was a time when dialogue between Centre and states was quite tense but now, both work together for development. Delhi is not far from Hyderabad. Delhi is also your’s.” Making it clear that development is the only solution for all problems, he said that there was a need for a healthy competition among all States to take the country forward.
He also unveiled plaques to mark the laying of foundation stone for the 152-km Manoharabad- Kothapalli new railway line (connecting Hyderabad and Karimnagar), Ramagundam, Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, Warangal and revival of Ramagundam fertiliser plant in Karimnagar district.
KCR appreciated Modi for providing a clean government and sought his blessings for the development of Telangana.
Welcoming Modi to the booth level leaders’ sammelan in LB stadium in the evening, the BJP State President Dr.Laxman, however, alleged that Telangana has become a forum for dynastic politics. He said that the TRS government is acting against democratic values by encouraging defections in a big way. “Votes, seats and notes and backstabbing (vennupotlu) are the TRS activities and Modi’s visit brought in new political developments in the state,” he said adding that BJP is the only viable option to TRS in the State.
Union Ministers-P.Venkaiah Naidu and B.Dattatreya-too didn’t make any comment against the TRS government much to the surprise of the party cadres. Though Modi observed that the gathering unveiled a bright future for the party in Telangana, he didn’t make even a single comment against KCR or his government. Modi’s speech evolved around development and the need of four revolutions in various fields to ensure development.
