Congress won't join any opposition bloc with BRS: Rahul Gandhi
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)'s remote control, and the state's ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "B-team," said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing a public gathering in Telangana's Khammam on Sunday. He said that he had told other opposition leaders the Congress wouldn't join any bloc where the BRS was involved.
why-does-it-matter
Why does this story matter?
Telangana goes to polls later this year, and the tussle between these parties hurts the prospects of a united opposition bloc against the ruling BJP in next year's Lok Sabha elections. Notably, the BJP won merely one seat in the previous Telangana Assembly elections in 2018. Meanwhile, KCR's daughter Kavitha is under the Enforcement Directorate's scanner in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case.
Statement
BRS is BJP's 'Rishtedar Party': Gandhi
Going all guns blazing against KCR, Gandhi said the BRS stood for "BJP's Rishtedar Samithi." He said the corruption charges against KCR and other BRS leaders made them subservient to the BJP. KCR thinks he is a king and Telangana is his kingdom, he claimed, adding that something similar to Karnataka is going to happen in Telangana, referring to the Congress's significant electoral win.
Election
Congress will win Telangana like Karnataka: Gandhi
Gandhi said that recently, in Karnataka, the Congress fought against "a corrupt and anti-poor government and...defeated them with the support of the poor, OBCs, minorities and oppressed in the state." Similarly, in Telangana, he added, "On one side, there would be the rich and powerful...and on the other side, there would be the poor, tribals, minorities, farmers and small shopkeepers with us."
Quote
Congress is 'All India Corruption Committee': KTR
Rejecting Gandhi's allegations, KCR's son and Telangana cabinet minister KT Rama Rao said the Congress is the brand ambassador of corruption and incompetence. He said the BRS is neither the BJP's B-team nor the Congress's C-team but is capable of single-handedly taking on both parties.
Event
Former BRS MP joins Congress
Meanwhile, former BRS MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and his supporters joined the Congress at the Khammam event on Sunday. Earlier, Congress workers alleged that the BRS leaders, with help from the police, were obstructing people from reaching the event's venue. However, the event saw a massive turnout, boosting the morale of Congress workers, The New Indian Express reported.