The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which is set to face a tough situation in the next assembly elections in 2019, has got a new lease of life, thanks to the Bharatiya Janata Party which has given it a nation-wide focus.
In its election manifesto for the ongoing Karnataka polls, the BJP has brazenly copied most of the populist schemes and developmental programmes taken up by the TRS in the last four years.
Many of the programmes announced by the party are just replicas of major initiatives launched by the TRS government.
For example, the BJP in its manifesto announced that it would take up ‘Mission Kalyani’ for rejuvenation of all tanks and lakes in the State. It is nothing but a copy of the TRS scheme Mission Kakatiya.
Similarly, the much talked about ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme under which farmers in Telangana will get investment support is projected as ‘Raithu Bandhu Market Intervention Fund’ in the BJP manifesto in Karnataka to support farmers.
The manifesto also speaks of setting up a separate Ministry to plan and implement clean drinking water to every household in the State, something that is very similar to Mission Bhagiratha.
The BJP has also announced waiver of farm loans upto Rs 1 lakh, which the TRS has already accomplished.
While T-Hub of Telangana has become K-Hubs in BJP manifesto for Karnataka, Kalyana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubarak schemes of the TRS have transformed into ‘Vivaha Mangala Yojane’ in the BJP manifesto.
Many other schemes which are being implemented in Telangana found their place in Karnataka BJP manifesto.
Naturally, the TRS is on cloud nine, as all its schemes have got the national focus.
Now, it can go the people with a positive campaign that even a national party like BJP is forced to copy a regional party’s manifesto!
