HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who's facing a barrage of attacks from Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, steered clear of mentioning his name or his party, TRS, during his 27-minute address to a huge gathering of BJP workers at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad on Sunday. In a subtle display of political tact, the PM, instead talked about rousing support for BJP in Telangana, which he said was a powerhouse of talent, culture and enterprise. "The pioneering work done in Hyderabad for manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines is unparalleled in the world," he said.
Saluting the people in Telugu, the PM chose to highlight BJP government's schemes and welfare initiatives for Telangana to thunderous applause from the crowd. Asserting that people in Telangana want a double-engine government, he said Hyderabad was chosen as the venue of the national executive meeting because the city represents 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.
The PM's realpolitik was in sharp contrast to KCR's volley of questions to Modi on price rise, rupee depreciation and mandatory coal imports, just days ago. And despite the chief minister refusing to receive him at the Begumpet airport on two earlier occasions, PM has steadfastly avoided a direct attack on KCR, while emphasising on the need to end family rule.
Explaining Centre's initiatives for Telangana, Modi said numerous efforts were being made in Hyderabad to establish a science city, biomedical science centres and textile park.
Soon, a BJP chief minister will walk into the Telangana Secretariat, not chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who has assiduously avoided the government's administrative office, said Union home minister Amit Shah, while addressing a huge rally at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad on Sunday.
"KCR stopped going to the secretariat after a sorcerer warned him about an ill omen in the building. Going by the surge in support for BJP, there is no need for him to go to secretariat again, the BJP chief minister will soon preside over meetings there," Shah said at the public meeting.
Claiming that the chief minister was unconcerned about job creation, which was a key demand during the statehood movement, he said, "All he cares about is employment of his son. I've been sensing the mood of the people. There's a growing disenchantment with TRS and rising support for BJP," he said.BJP national president J P Nadda said, initially there was scepticism about BJP's ability to win GHMC elections, but people voted for the party and we bagged 57 seats. It was unprecedented."
Saffron mascot Yogi Adityanath, who was the only CM to address the rally, said, "Telangana would soon have a double-engine government and the state would prosper." The TRS government was ignoring the welfare schemes of the Union government, he alleged.
Former MP Konda Vishwesar Reddy, who had announced his decision to switch over to BJP, formally joined the party on Sunday in the presence of national president JP Nadda at the Parade Grounds in Seunderabad.