IS IT NAMO vs.

KCR
C. SUBRAHMANYAM

TRS Chief and Telangana CM, KCR who said that a big sensation is
coming in national politics once again gave a break to his nationwide
tour and his reappearance became the topic of conversation in current
politics.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who is eyeing a

national role and meeting regional party leaders on the formation of
an alternative front was in Delhi on 20th May as part of his week-long
programme and from there he is to visit Bangalore. However, the fact
that there were no notable visits and that he was returning from a
meaningful end to his visit to Delhi came as a shock to those in the
party. Before leaving for Delhi, a press release issued by the CMO in
Hyderabad said that KCR will meet leaders of various political
parties, financial experts and national media.

No one came to meet him except Ashok Gulati, a prominent agrarian

economist. On Saturday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav first came and met
the Chief Minister at the latter's official residence on the Tughlaq
Road. Although KCR proposed that the two speak to the media
together on that occasion, it seems that Akhilesh Yadav was not
interested.

Aravind Kejriwal, CM of Delhi was initially reluctant to share the

stage with KCR. However, after repeatedly contacting Kejriwal to
give cheques to farmers, he was rumored to have made it a condition
of his visit to Sarvodaya Schools and Mohalla Clinics in Delhi that his
government had taken over. That is why it is said that KCR visited
Sarvodaya School and Mohalla Clinic. After visiting Sarvodaya
School with Kejriwal, KCR announced that there would be a
sensation in the politics of the country in the coming days.

Again skipping the PM Modi’s visit in Hyderabad, KCR on May 26

visited Bangalore and met former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and
former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy. And there is no surprise that
KCR skipped the PM’s visits in Hyderabad. Even on an earlier
occasion also KCR ignored Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he
came to unveil the statue of equality at Muchintal near Hyderabad.

While so, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit in

Hyderabad on May 26 launched an attack on the TRS leadership in
Telangana, calling for the state's liberation from family domination.
"People in Telangana are witnessing how family-run parties are
concerned about their personal well-being. He went on to say that
these parties "never care about the concerns of the poor." The country
has seen how corruption becomes the face of political parties
dedicated to one family, Modi added. "Parivaarvadi (family-run)
parties are not only political difficulties... they are the worst
opponents of democracy" Modi remarked, referring to the TRS, the
state's ruling party.

KCR also slammed the BJP-led Centre's push for making India a $5-
trillion economy, claiming that China was already a $16-trillion
country. "If we work hard enough, we can become a greater economy
than America." It doesn't matter who forms the government; it might
be Congress's or a government without Congress; all that matters is
that the country prospers. KCR who has been rallying opposition
forces against BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, hinted at a
grand opposition alliance, saying there will be sensational news about
such a front in the next two to three months. "I can promise you that
there will be a change at the national level, and no one will be able to
stop it." Many speeches have been spoken, but India must and will
evolve. "You will get some shocking news in the next two to three
months," KCR said.

Further, Modi was advised by KCR not to mess with farmers and
said, "Farmers' cries have always resulted in the government losing
power in India. Don't treat farmers unfairly while you're in power.”

KCR has been visiting heads of other regional parties since last year
as part of his efforts to combine diverse political parties for a third
political option to the saffron party. In December2021, KCR met
with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin in Chennai, and in
January 2022, he met with Tejaswi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal
and national leaders of the CPI and CPI (M) in Hyderabad. KCR met
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in February this year.
He also spoke with Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal chief minister
and the president of the Trinamool Congress, who praised his
opposition to the Centre.

Regional parties have also been reaching out to each other in an

attempt to boost the potential of forming a third front before the 2024
elections. In February 2022, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin spoke on the
phone with Mamata Banerjee, who requested a conference of chief
ministers from non-BJP states. Stalin pledged his support and stated
that the CMs' summit may take place outside of Delhi.

Meanwhile, KCR's visit to Bengaluru comes ahead of Karnataka's

Assembly Elections next year, when the opposition is attempting to
unseat the BJP on claimed lack of development and corruption
allegations levelled against chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Karnataka is the only Southern State where the BJP is in power.