KCR’s volte-face over PM’s event triggers speculation

HYDERABAD: The inauguration of renovated Yadadri temple, originally scheduled to be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March/April, has turned curious following Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s strained relationship with the former.

Though the Chief Minister met the Prime Minister and invited him to inaugurate the temple in September last, uncertainty prevails over the event in the aftermath of Chandrashekar Rao, in a pre-planned strategy, skipping the mega event of unveiling the ‘Statue of Equality’ at Chinna Jeeyar ashram on the city outskirts by Modi on Saturday.

Going by the mood of the Chief Minister, according to sources in the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), he may carry out the inauguration on his own, avoiding the Prime Minister.

Rao is visiting Yadadri on Monday to review the progress of works as well as preparations for the massive religious event which will begin with Mahasudarshana Yagam on March 21. The mahakumbha samprokshanam is scheduled for March 28.

The Chief Minister skipping Modi’s event appears to be pre-planned what with the inauguration plaque having only the Prime Minister’s photo and name besides that of Chinna Jeeyar Swami and Myhome group chairman Dr J. Rameshwar Rao. Sources said the Chief Minister scheduling his visit a day before the event was part of his plan to avoid the main event.

While two diametrically opposite narratives are floated within the TRS on the Chief Minister’s disruptive move, the rival political parties, however, see it as a strategy to prepare the ground to accuse the Prime Minister of pursuing vendetta politics in the eventuality of the use of Central probe agencies against the party leadership.

Lending credence to the theory, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had actively been pursuing cases against an angel investor and a realtor-cum-educationist who are close to the powers that be in the state. The ED also conducted searches in the offices and residence of a contractor, who is also into mines, in the last two days, sources said.

The second-rung leadership of the ruling party was also caught by surprise at the extreme step of the Chief Minister to avoid Modi. While a section of leaders believes that the Chief Minister who is keen to play active role in national politics made the first move against Modi, the district leaders were provided with a narrative that the so-called animosity is part of the strategy to project the BJP as main rival and thereby dilute the anti-incumbency vote and keep the principal Opposition Congress at bay.