'Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao wanted to join NDA, I refused due to his deeds,' says PM Modi

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, October 3

In a revelation that is set to raise political heat in election-bound Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he had refused K Chandrashekhar Rao’s overtures to join the NDA after the declaration of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation results in December 2020 which was why the BRS chief was angry with him.

For long now, Rao has not been following the protocol of receiving PM Modi upon his visits to the state for official events.

Addressing a poll rally in Telangana’s Nizamabad today, the PM said he was going to reveal the secret of why Rao has been behaving the way he has been. “Journalists can also check what I am going to say. It is 100% true. When Greater Hyderabad MC elections happened, BJP won 48 seats. No one got the majority.

KCR needed support in the MC and you must have seen how until MC polls, KCR used to come to the airport with all the fanfare to receive me and garland me. Then what happened? Why did he stop? Why is he so angry?” asked Modi.

He said the reason was Modi’s refusal to grant KCR an entry into the NDA.

“After Hyderabad MC election results, KCR came to Delhi to meet me, honoured me with a shawl and showered affections that are uncharacteristic of him. He then told me that the country was progressing under my leadership and that he also wanted to join the NDA.

I asked him what else he wanted and he said he wanted BJP support in Hyderabad MC,” said Modi.

The PM added that he declined KCR’s offer telling him, “I could never align with you because of your deeds and I can never betray the people of Telangana even if that means sitting in the opposition in the MC.”

The PM said it was after this episode that KCR was rattled and he began distancing himself.

“Then KCR came to me once more and said he had decided to pass the Telangana baton to his son. I warned him against this approach and told him we are a democracy and not a monarchy. In a democracy, people decide who will hold power,” Modi said to a receptive crowd.

The PM also said that BRS funded the Congress in Karnataka elections and now the Congress would return that favour.

“It is a cosy club. BRS has been looting Telangana like this,” said the prime minister in his poll pitch in Telangana.