Karimnagar: With no interest in Lok Sabha elections and with just the intention of retaining power in the state, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has made a secret agreement with the BJP and went for early polls dissolving the Assembly alleged, Congress Karimangar LS candidate and former MP, Ponnam Prabhakar on Friday.
Speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ programme organsied here at the press club, Mr Ponnam said that these elections were meant to elect the Prime Minister and Mr Rao had no role to play.
“He cannot do anything by merely winning 16 LS seats as he was boasting, and sensing this, he dissolved the Assembly before the term was completed and went for early polls with a secret understanding between the TRS and BJP.”
Fearing that pensions would not be sanctioned and schemes would not be implemented, the people had given the TRS a second chance by giving it a majority. “Instead of focusing on good governance Mr Rao focused his attention on purchasing leaders from the Opposition.”
“Telangana is not his own property to behave as he wants, it is thed 29th state in the biggest democratic country. It is against democracy to not have any Opposition in the Assembly. Without the Opposition who will raise issues with the government,” he questioned.
About the promise of making a Dalit chief minister, Mr Ponnam alleged that Mr Rao “might have hatred toward Dalits or even dislike them. That is why he did not fulfil his promise of making a Dalit a CM”. Instead he dismissed a Dalit leader from the Deputy CM post without giving any reasons and a chance for him to submit his resignation. “Is it not unfair?” he questioned adding, “It is the responsibility of Mr Rao to treat everyone equally and provide equal opportunities to all sections of people.”
Mr Prabhakar said that Mr Rao was determined to dissolve the Opposition by encouraging defections since the Congress made Bhatti Vikramarka, who hails from the Dalit community, leader of Opposition.
“Mr. Rao does not want a Dalit leader to sit in front of him and question him in the Assembly,” Mr Prabhakar declared.
Speaking about the recently held MLC elections, Mr. Ponnam said that the TRS got just 17 percent of votes in the recently held MLC elections. “That means that people had given the verdict that the TRS party is not focusing on good governance. The party has led to loss of faith among the people,” he said.
