Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s blow-hot and blow-cold attitude towards the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has been surprising the political parties in the state.
When he was in New Delhi for about a week in New Delhi in the first week of September, KCR met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and other ministers.
His prolonged stay in Delhi led to the talk that he has come to a compromise with the Delhi bosses.
The TRS chief was again in New Delhi for three more days in the last week of September and held discussions with the Union ministers. Then, too, he did not utter a word against the Centre or the BJP.
At the same time, the TRS did not support the nation-wide bandh called by the opposition to extend solidarity with the agitating farmers against three farm laws, while all the other parties, including the YSRC and TDP participated in the bandh.
At a time when the political analysts are expressing view that the TRS is extending clandestine support to the NDA, the chief minister shocked all of them with his sudden outburst against the Central government in the assembly.
KCR made strong comments against the Central government for usurping the powers of the states and trying to take over the irrigation projects in Telangana and Andhra.
“We made several representations to the Centre to postpone the implementation of the gazette on irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers from October 14. But it is not listening,” he said.
He also lashed out at the Centre stating that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was bogus and that the current policy governing crop insurance was unscientific.
“There are a lot of shortcomings in the existing policy which need to be rectified to ensure that the benefits of crop insurance reach the grass root level farmers,” the chief minister said.
He pointed out that the state governments submit a preliminary report to the Centre on the losses suffered by farmers in rains and floods.
“The Central government then sends a team to assess the damage, and very often, these teams turn up very late. At times, they come after three or four months, delaying the process further,” he explained.
He said Telangana had not received even a single rupee extra from the centre than what was due to the state.
“In fact, the Centre itself is indulging in large scale borrowings and therefore, it cannot give anything to the state. In fact, Telangana is giving money to the state. It is among the top four states contributing highest tax money to the Centre,” he said.
He said right from the days of the Congress, the Central government was infringing upon the rights of the states.
“I am saying this as a Chief Minister and president of a regional party,” he said, adding that the Centre was taking over the powers of the States on all fronts, particularly in cooperative and agriculture sectors.
