Telangana CM KCR proposes third front, vows to give new direction to India

Hyderabad : Buoyed by the support his proposal for a third front evoked in different parts of the country, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday vowed to give new direction to the country.

Reiterating that a qualitative change should come in the national politics, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief said a beginning was being made from Telangana and exuded confidence that the goal will be achieved with the backing of people.

He also announced that he would soon meet like-minded leaders and would also chalk out an agenda for the country

He was addressing a large number of TRS workers and representatives of various organisations who had gathered at his official residence "Pragati Bhavan" to declare their support for his plans to cobble up a third front as an alternative to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, told the gathering that his mere call for a qualitative change in the national politics received support from all four corners of the country. "I have been receiving phone calls since morning as people are extending their support to my effort."

The TRS chief said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to her over phone to convey that she will fully support him.

"Six to seven MPs from Maharashtra also called me. They said they will resign from their party the day you make a beginning," he said without revealing the names of the party they belong to.

KCR said the country needs drastic changes in its political system and amendments in its Constitution to realise its full potential and grow at par with countries like China, Japan and Singapore.

He alleged that both BJP and Congress, who ruled for most of the time since independence, had miserably failed to address real issues of people, and unless an alternative emerges the country will continue to have the same politics of allegations and counter-allegations and brick-batting between them.

"Even after 70 years of our independence, farmers continue to commit suicide," he said while blaming the faulty policies pursued by the two parties.

Without naming any party, he said people are divided in the name of religion and caste, thereby weakening the country.

Stating that the federalism exists only on paper, he demanded that subjects like agriculture, health and education should be transferred to the states. He alleged that these subjects are deliberately kept with the Centre so that the ruling parties continue to play petty politics.

"What the Prime Minister has to do with the rural roads," he asked in a dig at Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, a central scheme.

He reiterated the demand that the Centre should transfer the subject of reservation to the states as they were providing quota in their jobs and educational institutions.

"85 per cent of Telangana's population comprises backward classes, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities. How do I satisfy them with 50 per cent reservation?" he said while calling for real cooperative federalism.