Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday, August 31, visited Patna to give financial assistance to the families of Indian soldiers who were martyred in Galwan valley in 2020. Addressing the media alongside his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, CM KCR heavily criticised the BJP-led Union government and called for opposition parties to unite against it. “After speaking to Nitish ji, he has said it’s his wish too, that all the opposition parties must unite forces for a ‘BJP-mukt Bharat’ (India free of BJP),” he said. When asked if Congress would join the alliance of opposition parties against the BJP, KCR said that discussions will be held in detail and the members of the alliance will be revealed soon. He also rejected the label of ‘third front’.
“It is being said that instead of the tricolour, the saffron flag will be hoisted (referring to former Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa’s remarks). Such treason has occurred against the nation and the national flag, but the Union government has remained quiet. Riots are being orchestrated. Father of the nation Gandhi is being insulted terribly … Moreover, they (the Union government) have not done any work. There has been no development in any sector,” KCR said. He went on to say that the Union government has been harassing opposition leaders and questioned if the BJP itself had any integrity.
“Everyone knows BJP spends the most during elections. It’s the most wealthy party. There are scams happening. Sri Lankan officials have said they were pressurised (by Prime Minister Narendra Modi) to give contracts to his friends (Adani group). PM Modi has interfered in the US presidential elections and expressed support for Donald Trump. Where will such morals take our nation?” KCR asked. He also criticised the Union government’s power policies and alleged that farmers were being harassed to serve the interests of corporates.
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KCR’s visit assumed significance as his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar recently severed ties with the NDA and formed a government in that state with the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Congress, CPI-ML (L), CPI, CPI(M) and HAM (Hindustani Awam Morcha) under the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance). Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav was also present at the meeting. KCR also provided financial aid to the kin of 12 workers from Bihar, who died in a fire accident in Hyderabad recently. KCR handed over cheques for Rs 10 lakh to each family of deceased soldiers and Rs 5 lakh to the kin of deceased migrant workers.
Speaking at the event earlier, KCR said that Telangana values the contribution of migrant workers from Bihar to the development of Telangana. During the pandemic, KCR said the Union government failed to make proper arrangements for migrant workers to travel home, and claimed that the Telangana government arranged around 150 trains to send workers from Bihar home.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led Union government and criticised its excessive publicity efforts and its alleged lack of sensitivity towards the needs of the states. He took a veiled dig at the BJP which has undertaken an aggressive campaign to expand its base in the southern state of Telangana. “Your adversaries speak a lot against you. Little do they realise what stuff you are made of. You were the one whose single-minded struggle led to the creation of Telangana. The people will never desert you,” Nitish Kumar, the de facto leader of the JD(U), said while addressing KCR. His teaming with KCR is being seen as an important step in the direction of achieving opposition unity.
“Your gesture of paying ex-gratia to the dead soldiers is exemplary. They did not die in your state but in a far-off place. It is truly magnanimous,” said Nitish Kumar. He also expressed anguish over the Narendra Modi government's stout refusal to accept his plea for giving special category status to Bihar. "The special status could have helped us develop faster ... I have now left them (BJP-led government). The old times were different as Atal ji (Atl Bihari Vajpayee) used to treat others with respect. Now there is no work, only prachaar and prasaar (publicity),” said Kumar, who severed his ties with the BJP accusing it of trying to break his party. All states are suffering under the current dispensation, and states' share in revenue is declining, alleged Nitish Kumar.