Nanded BRS meeting a damp squib: Bandi

Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday described the public meeting of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrashekar Rao at Nanded as a damp squib.

"The so-called national meeting of KCR was a mega flop. People of Maharashtra cared a damn for the rally, though 30 MLAs, two ministers and two MPs had camped in Nanded for the last 25 days. Finally, they managed the show by mobilising people from the bordering Telangana districts by paying them Rs 500 each," Bandi claimed in a statement.

He said though the BRS had given a huge hype to the meeting saying that top leaders of Maharashtra would join the party, it turned out to be a flop show. Most of those who joined the party were outdated leaders who cannot poll even 10 votes in their respective villages. "That KCR himself appeared irritated for being made to wait holding the pink stoles itself was an indication to the fate of the BRS in Maharashtra," he quipped.

.Referring to KCR's promises at the meeting, Bandi said they all were non-starters. "The CM promised 33 per cent quota for women in legislatures. This is just a hollow promise. He did not have a woman Cabinet minister for five years." Besides, not a single woman was given any nominated post. There is not a single woman Rajya Sabha member representing BRS. He should have mentioned all these points at the meeting," he said.

On KCR's reference to farmers' suicides in Maharashtra, the BJP leader said it was like devil quoting scriptures. Compared to Telangana, Maharashtra's population is three times more. In terms of farmer suicides, Telangana stands fourth in the country. "Despite being in power for two terms, KCR has failed to stop farmer suicides in the State and more so, in his own Gajwel constituency," he criticised.

He described KCR's tall claim of giving a round-the-clock power supply to agriculture as a big joke. "In the Telangana districts bordering Nanded, farmers are agitating for at least eight-hour power supply and protesting against the collection of additional consumption deposits," he pointed out.

Bandi found fault with KCR for making lofty statements on irrigation, drinking water supply, power and road infrastructure, as if he was a great intellectual. "It is just an empty rhetoric, as he has failed to implement them in his own State," he said.

On KCR's stand on nationalisation of enterprises, the Karimnagar MP said the CM failed to revive the closed units like Nizam Sugar Factory and AP Rayons. "Who will believe his empty talk?" he asked.

Bandi claimed that Maharashtra had been far ahead of Telangana in several aspects, including construction of housing for the poor, implementation of Ayushman Bharat, payment of compensation to farmers for crop loss, industrial growth "Telangana, however, is no. 1 in liquor sales, high diesel and petrol rates," he criticised.

The MP lashed out at KCR for taking the name of Shivaji to promote BRS saying "Shivaji had established a true Hindu Rajya, KCR had mortgaged the State with Nizam's successors and Razakars." Also KCR and his family on the one hand are calling for people's movements like the one led by JP; on the other, more interest in making money through scams.

"The people are laughing at your talk. It is certain that they will bury the BRS deep in next elections," he added.