Neither the BJP nor the Congress are national parties but simply “slightly bigger regional parties”, TRS president KT Rama Rao said in an exclusive interview to News18, an open challenge to the two political juggernauts as his father tries to forge a “federal front” before 2024 General Elections.

Ruling out the possibility of an alliance with the Congress, which he called a “redundant institution”, KT Rama Rao, or KTR as he is popularly known, implied that his friendship with political strategist Prashant Kishor will continue even if he joins the Congress as speculated over the last few days. The son of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, however, added that the TRS relationship with Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC) is independent of Kishor since the strategist is no longer associated with the organisation he founded.

Edited excerpts:

Twenty-one years for the TRS, it’s been a long journey. Let’s talk about the learnings along the way.

Like any person or institution, we all continue to evolve, learn and grow, and if you ask me, the TRS, in fact, is on the brink of adulthood. We are turning 21 and majoring in a way. So I think, we continue to grow and emerge as a major force in the state as well as in the country. So hopefully, we continue to receive the blessings of the people and continue to provide good governance

When is that national plunge going to happen?

There is no national party in this country. Both BJP and Congress are slightly bigger regional parties and nothing else. So the question on when we will become a national party, in the context of national media focusing on parliamentary elections… well, time will answer that. Our honourable CM has made it clear on multiple occasions that the TRS will play a national role but in what form and when, I think time will answer. And our honourable CM himself will answer at some point.

So let’s talk about Prashant Kishor. Hectic meetings have been taking place for the last two days as he was camping at the CM’s office while negotiations are still on with the Congress. What’s brewing between PK and TRS?

Let me clear one thing. This is not the first time that Prashant Kishor was here. He has been here several times. It’s just that the media didn’t get wind of it. So we have met him several times, he remains a friend and I am sure he will continue to remain a friend. Therefore, the whole thing is being exaggerated. The institution we are working with is IPAC, which has got no connection with Prashant now. He may have been the founder, but it has got no connection (with him) right now.

In case Prashant Kishor decides to join the Congress, how does it impact your equation with him?

I am neither the spokesperson for IPAC nor Prashant Kishor. Firstly, he hasn’t joined the Congress. So we can’t talk about imaginary situations right now.

In his presentations to Sonia Gandhi, one of the things Prashant Kishor is said to have proposed is to bring in all regional parties together, something that Chief Minister KCR is also keen on doing. Would you back Kishor if such a proposal gathers steam?

The Congress has lost its relevance in Indian politics. It has become a redundant institution because the people of this country have been extremely generous with the Congress. Over the last 75 years, they have given the Congress party more than 50 years to govern this great nation but since the Congress has failed, BJP has come in, but they have not delivered much.

So my humble request to you is, please don’t belittle us by calling us a smaller regional party when Congress is also nothing but a slightly larger regional party. At this point in time, I would simply say wherever the Congress has contested on its own against the BJP, the BJP looks invincible and infallible.

But the fact is wherever there is a credible alternative in the form of a strong regional party, the BJP couldn’t make inroads. So I believe that in today’s political landscape, PM Modi and BJP are hoping against hope that Congress and Rahul Gandhi ji continue so that they (BJP) can continue their winning streak.

Do not undermine the efforts of the regional players who have been able to checkmate BJP in various parts of the country. We still have two more years to go for national election, so we have enough time to come up with a strategy.

In Telangana, paddy has been a big issue. You took the fight to Delhi. We saw only the participation of Rakesh Tikait. Why have other like-minded parties have not supported you openly?

Some of the other parties supported us in Parliament when we were protesting. Paddy is a bigger issue for Telangana because our area under cultivation has increased by 119%. Odisha has also written to the PM saying this issue needs to be addressed. So the bigger problem here is the Government of India’s attitude towards the farming community.

#Breaking | Amid speculations of Prashant Kishor joining the Congress, IPAC strikes a deal with TRS in Telangana ahead of elections in the state.@swastikadas95 shares details.@BJPKrishnasagar , BJP Spokesperson shares views with @toyasingh . pic.twitter.com/2CLYGmbcNw

— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 26, 2022

They came up with draconian laws which forced the farmers to protest for 13 months and then conveniently apologised to the farmers after putting them through all kinds of hardship. The honourable PM had made a categorical statement saying he will double the farmers’ income by 2022. We are in 2022 and only their troubles have doubled.

Telangana is the only state in India where there has been steady growth, innovation and inclusive development of all sectors. But instead of according national status to our projects, he has been duping us. So what has PM Modi done for the farmers?

While the party’s national ambitions are clear, nothing has been materialising since 2014 despite consistent efforts to form federal front. So when is it finally taking shape? The allegation against you is that you start talking about federal front only when you are approaching the election season. How do you counter this?

What is the allegation here? We did try in 2018, even in 2017 but it was unsuccessful. I am not an astrologer to predict how things are going to take shape in 2024. But I can assure you one thing that the way we have developed Telangana in last seven years — be it giving 24-hour water and power supply and executing the world’s largest lift irrigation project Kaleshwaram — we have achieved all that in record time.

We will bring forth all our achievements in front of the country and give them a choice on whether the Gujarat model that was once highlighted by PM Modi stands even remotely close to what we have achieved in Telangana in just seven years. If Telangana has seen transformation, the same model can be envisaged for the entire country.

So when are you going to do this? After 2023 Assembly elections?

If the media chooses to portray the good work done by our government, then it will help us set the narrative. But unfortunately, the media seems to be harping on inconsequential things. Inflation is at its highest in 30 years, unemployment rate has been highest in 45 years, but we don’t want to talk about it. Unfortunately, the issues taking centre-stage are inconsequential to the common man.

The BJP is saying you are possibly going to join hands with the Congress…

Well, people will say a lot of things. The Congress is a redundant institution, so where is the question of joining?

Back home, who is your main rival — BJP or Congress?

AIMIM is our principle opposition. It’s not a hyperbole or an exaggeration.

But AIMIM and TRS are friendly parties…

They support us. We supported BJP on several occasions in Parliament, Congress has also supported BJP on several occasions. Does that make them friends?

How do you see BJP’s rise in the state?

The BJP is a hopeless party and I think they will continue to remain the same.

There have been multiple issues in the recent times. Be it hijab and halal controversies, and now a row over Hanuman Chalisa. Why has the TRS never taken a stand?

Communalism is a much more dangerous virus than corona, this is our stand.

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