Chandrababu targeting KCR for vote bank politics: KTR

TRS working president KT Rama Rao on Monday said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s arrogance was on display when he said TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao worked under him. He said the Chief Minister was only first among equals in the State Cabinet and all the Ministers work with him and not under him as per the Constitution of India.

“Naidu claims to be a seasoned politician, but he does not have an iota of knowledge about his Cabinet colleagues. It is his arrogance that is speaking. Since he failed to develop Andhra Pradesh in the last five years and has nothing to boast before the people of that State, he is targeting the Telangana Chief Minister for vote bank politics,” he said. He pointed out that Naidu too worked under Congress Chief Ministers like T Anjaiah before he joined the TDP and snatched power from his own father-in-law NT Rama Rao to become the Chief Minister.

In an informal interaction with the media at Telangana Bhavan here, the TRS working president clarified that the TRS was as much interested in Andhra Pradesh politics as it was in politics of Maharashtra, Karnataka and other neighbouring States. He predicted that the people of Andhra Pradesh were ready to reject Naidu in the ensuing general elections. “We are not bothered who comes to power in Andhra Pradesh, but are pretty sure that Naidu will be rejected by the people of his State just as he was rejected in Telangana State,” he added.

He rubbished allegations of Naidu that there was a secret pact between the TRS and the BJP. He pointed out that the TRS openly challenged and defeated the BJP in the State by confining it to only one MLA seat. “But can Naidu declare openly that he will not join the BJP-led NDA after the elections? He is an opportunist. He has been chanting the name of Chandrashekhar Rao more than NTR in the past few months,” he said.

Rama Rao ridiculed allegations of the Telangana Congress that the ruling TRS was encouraging defections and purchasing Congress MLAs. He stated that it was natural for politicians to shift from one party to another seeking better political careers. He pointed out that several sitting MPs from other parties were joining the Congress in the presence of AICC president Rahul Gandhi. “Then TRS MLAs Babumohan and Bodige Shobha joined other parties. Rahul Gandhi himself welcomed TRS sitting MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy into the Congress. Does that mean they were all purchased by the Congress?” he questioned.

He advised the Congress leaders to self-introspect before levelling allegations against the Chief Minister. “Congress leaders have no moral right to question the morals of the TRS when the Gandhi family was not following any of it by welcoming elected representatives from other parties to join the Congress,” he added.