‘T’gana will remain a secular state as long as KCR is alive’

Telangana Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said he would not rest until all sections of people are developed and asserted that as long as he is alive the state will remain a “secular” one.

Addressing a rally in Jangaon, about 90 km from Hyderabad, Rao, also known as KCR, requested the public to vote for the local candidate and asked the people not fall prey to Congress’s “glib talk”. Former PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah who quit the Congress a few days ago citing the “unjust environment” in the party joined BRS in the presence of KCR at the public meeting. Rao welcomed him with the party’s scarf.

“There was no communal tension in this state for the past 10 years. Hyderabad city is peaceful. Investments of lakhs of crores of rupees are coming because of our (friendly) industrial policy. Our youth are getting jobs. It should continue in the future also,” he said. “Jab tak KCR jinda rahega, tab tak Telangana riyasat ek secular state rahega (As long as KCR is alive, Telangana will remain a secular state). This is my promise. I am responsible for this,” he said.

Seeking a vote for BRS to continue the development and progress, KCR said the Congress says that they will abolish Dharani, the integrated land management portal, which he said would lead to chaos. Speaking about his government’s work, he said Telangana is the only state in the country which gives free power to farmers 24 hours a day. “If the lands of farmer should be safe and secure, if the registrations to continue in the same way, you should punish Congress party and teach them a lesson,” Rao said.

Interestingly, the BRS chief did not make any mention at all of the BJP in his speech. Narrating points from the BRS manifesto released on Sunday, the party chief said that as long as KCR is alive, the Rs 10 lakh financial assistance given to SCs under the Dalit Bandhu scheme will continue. Appealing to Muslims to vote for the party, he said there have been no communal tensions in the state for the past 10 years.

Speaking at a separate rally in Bhongir, about 50 km from here, Rao said that after the November 30 polls, the Information Technology (IT) industry will be expanded to the town as well.