CM KCR addresses a public meeting in Khammam on Wednesday

Khammam: BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao gave a clarion call to the people for a united fight against the BJP to save the country. He unveiled the party’s vision for the nation, promising the Telangana model of development across the country with schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Dalit Bandhu, drinking water and power supply for all households.

He also declared that while privatisation was the BJP’s policy, nationalisation was the BRS’ agenda. Stating that if the BRS came to power, the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in Armed forces would be abolished and the former system restored, Chandrashekhar Rao said the complete draft policy of BRS was being prepared by over 150 noted retired civil servants, former Supreme Court judges and other subject experts and would be unveiled soon. 

At the party’s national debut public meeting in Khammam on Wednesday, the Chief Minister slammed the BJP and Congress, tearing into their inefficiency in utilising abundant natural resources for progress of the nation. “If these resources are utilised efficiently, India need not have to kneel before the World Bank, the US or any other country to progress,” he said.

In the process of elections and politics, he felt that India had lost its goal and said the BRS was formed to get India back on track. He reminded that with 41 percent of cultivable land, around 70,000 TMC of water, nearly 4.1 lakh MWs of installed power capacity and a population of over 139 crore, India had all resources to become the world’s best food producer. “However, we are still importing palm oil worth Rs.1 lakh crore. Even after 75 years of independence, people in India do not have access to drinking water and electricity,” he pointed out.

Chandrashekhar Rao criticised the Centre’s failure in resolving river water disputes between States and demanded to know why successive governments at the Centre failed to resolve simple inter-State disputes. He pointed out that nearly 20 years after the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal was constituted, Telangana’s share in Krishna River water was yet to be finalised. 

“The BRS is born to trigger a thought process and question the inefficiencies in governance. People must think whether we need to progress or remain inefficient. We will build a movement



similar to the Telangana Statehood movement across the country for the nation’s progress,” he added.

Pointing out that nearly 2 lakh MW of total 4.1 lakh MW of installed power capacity remains unutilised, the BRS chief stated that if political parties with ideologies similar to BRS came to power at the Centre in the 2024 elections, the party would ensure power supply to all within two years. He also promised free power to all farmers across the country and demanded the BJP government to stop treating farmers who were feeding the nation, like thieves and dacoits.

Pledging to implement a scheme like Mission Bhagiratha to provide safe drinking water to every household within five years after the BRS government came to power at the Centre, Chandrashekhar Rao also said the ‘Make in India‘ initiative had become a ‘Joke in India’, and that there were China bazaars in every street.

Stating that BRS was opposing the ‘disinvestment of LIC’ and sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant among others, he said the BJP’s policy was socialisation of losses and privatisation of profits and to burden people with increased prices and taxes. “Modi ji, your policy is privatisation. But our policy is nationalisation. You are trying to sell LIC. But when you will be sent home after 2024 elections, we will ensure that the Centre takes over the LIC and nationalises it,” he said.

The Chief Minister wanted lakhs of LIC employees to take up a fight and also support BRS to thwart these attempts. He also urged power sector employees to oppose privatization of power utilities. Electricity was crucial for the nation’s development and it should remain in public sector. 

Chandrashekhar Rao also lashed out Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that the government had no business to do business. “But we say the government has every business to do business wherever it is required and intervene where necessary,” he said.

Assuring implementation of the Dalit Bandhu scheme benefiting 25 lakh families across the country every year, he called for women empowerment and proposed 35 percent reservation for women in legislative houses. “Final victory will be ours. Justice and virtue will always prevail,” he said.