Hyderabad: T. Harish Rao, senior Telangana Rashtra Samiti leader and minister, created the biggest flutter since the dissolution of the Telangana State Assembly when he said that he was so overwhelmed by the love of his voters that he could quit politics. The statement sent shockwaves in the backdrop of his perceived rivalry to cousin and caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao, charismatic son and probable inheritor of the top post if the TRS wins.
In an exclusive interview, Mr Harish Rao dismissed all such talk as “speculation and Opposition-sponsored nonsense”. About his statement to his voters that he was ready to quit politics, Mr Rao explained: “I am a loyal TRS worker who will follow all orders of KCR garu and live and die a TRS man. I was so touched by the love of people and I felt if it was all over at that moment it was worth it. The rest is what the Opposition, failing in their mission to target TRS, is trying to create confusion.
“There is only one leader in Telangana whose stature is above everyone else and that Bahubali is KCR garu. He has in his commitment to the state and people built a treasure of people’s love that is unmatched,” he said, dismissing all speculation of a Shiv Sena like situation repeating in the TRS. “The Congress knows people love KCR garu what he has achieved in four years, far more than what they did in decades. Why are they afraid of facing the people? If the government is unpopular, it should be the opposition which should be seeking a refreshing of people's mandate and the ruling party must be wary. Why is it the other way around?” he asks.
Mr Harish Rao, whose family name has neeru (water) as a suffix, dismisses all talk of rivalry with Mr Rama Rao, reposes full faith in the leadership of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, gently deflects all compliments over success of Mission Kakatiya to the vision of chief minister, fends criticism over Kaleshwaram Project, or lack of even a single woman representative in the KCR Cabinet, posits emphatically on the party prospects by saying the TRS will win over 100 seats (out of 119) in the coming elections. Calling it an emotional moment, when he was touched by the love of the people, he re-emphasised the supremacy of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and his complete loyalty to the party.
“A hapless Congress is resorting to dirty tricks of spreading speculation because they know they will lose. I will live and die in TRS, my only boss and leader is KCR garu and if he, in the interests of the state, party and people takes a decision to make KTR the next chief minister, I will be happy to serve in the KTR Cabinet.”
