I am not eyeing the Prime Minister's chair: K Chandrasekhar Rao

“I am not eyeing the Prime Minister’s chair,” Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao declared categorically on Tuesday. The Chief Minister, however, was equally emphatic in asserting that he was indeed concerned about various issues facing the country, including poverty, agrarian crisis, infrastructure development, power and water management and MSP for farm produce, among others. “It is imperative that a Federal Front government takes control at the Centre, and I will strive hard to ensure this. I am not really bothered about who occupies the Prime Minister’s post,” he said, addressing a massive public meeting here that was brief yet telling.

Chandrashekhar Rao’s remark on his disinterest in the Prime Minister’s post came after Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, in his speech, pointed out that any person who addressed public meeting at the Azam Jahi Mills ground in the past, went on to become the Prime Minister and cited the examples of Jawaharlal Nehru and P V Narasimha Rao. The Minister went on to say that he hoped Chandrashekhar Rao would also follow in the same footsteps.

The Chief Minister, pointing out that the States’ powers were consistently being usurped by the Centre over the past few years, said in such a scenario, the TRS has to step in to play a key role at the Centre. “And this can be done only if we ensure the



victory of TRS candidates in 16 Lok Sabha seats in the State. In any election, the people’s will should prevail and the victory should reflect the aspirations of the masses,” Chandrashekhar Rao, who did not mince words in flaying both BJP and Congress, said.

Launching a scathing attack against Modi, the Chief Minister demanded an apology from the Prime Minister for spreading blatant lies about Central assistance to Telangana. “Telangana’s contribution to the Central kitty is a massive Rs 1 lakh crore, and what the State got in return through devolution was just Rs 24,000 crore. The Prime Minister has been blatantly lying that the Centre had extended Rs 35,000 crore to the State. I challenge him to prove this, or apologise to the people of the State,” he said, adding that he had nothing against the Centre using State funds for the nation, but the least Modi can do is not to spread falsehood.

Chandrashekhar Rao said Telangana was among the five or six strong States in the country which supported the Centre. “You (Modi) are using money sent by Telangana. I have no issues with that, but please don’t lie. The Prime Minister speaks about my physical features and beliefs instead of addressing issues faced by the people. Even a village sarpanch won’t stoop down to such levels as Modi has,” he said.