Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's decision to move a resolution against the Citizenship Amenment Act (CAA) in the state Assembly is "pure opportunism" as he has sensed the "rising anti-BJP sentiment" in the country, former president of Telangana Congress Ponnala Lakshmaiah said on Sunday.
"Almost the entire opposition is opposing the contentious CAA while the Congress-ruled Punjab and Rajasthan and the Left-ruled Kerala have already passed resolutions against the amended law in their respective Assemblies... KCR too wants to follow suit," Lakshmaiah told PTI over phone.
"This is nothing but pure opportunism as KCR does want to remain isolated from the growing anti-BJP trend in the country," he said, adding that KCR was more bothered about how to "sail along with the wind" than doing good for the people of the state.
"This might be a protective move as he is not a trustworthy person," he said.
The senior Congress leader, who was the communication and IT minister of the undivided Andhra Pradesh, wondered if KCR's decision has anything to do with the CBI cases pending against some of his party leaders.
KCR had on Saturday said the Telangana Assembly may pass a resolution against the CAA like some other states. He said that he had already spoken to many of his counterparts in other states and he may convene a conclave of regional parties and chief ministers in Hyderabad to oppose the CAA since it concerns the country's future.
"India cannot be converted into a Hindu nation. We are a secular country. This country belongs to all the people. We should continue to be secular," he said.
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had voted against the amendment to citizenship law in Parliament last month.
Responding to KCR's comments, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday challenged KCR to point out anything in the Act that affects anyone in the country.
"I condemn KCR for announcing that he will not implement CAA in Telangana. I challenge the Chief Minister to show if there is anything in the Act that affects any of the 130 crore people (in the country)," the Union Minister of State for Home told reporters in Hyderabad on Sunday.