The Telangana chief minister is on a campaign blitz and addressing large rallies even as Opposition struggles with candidate lists.
Published Oct 18, 2023 | 9:16 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 18, 2023 | 9:16 AM
Telangana Chief Minister KCR and Finance Minister Harish Rao at the Siddipet rally. (X)
Borrowing a line from a Telugu film song, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has described Finance Minister T Harish Rao as “six-foot-high bullet”, while praising him for the development of Siddipet in more ways than he had expected.
The chief minister, popularly known as KCR, while acknowledging the development of the region, said Siddipet now had everything. “Only an airport has to be there for the flights to land and takeoff. It will shine like a diamond soon,” he said.
The chief minister addressed two election rallies — one in Siddipet and another in Sircilla — on Tuesday, 17 October. The focus of his speeches was how BRS had brought about development to a state that was once very backward and rudderless.
The chief minister recalled his association with the two constituencies and how they had helped him stay in good stead in politics. “I can never repay my gratitude to Siddipet. It has made the chief minister of the state,” he said.
Praising Harish Rao, who is also the state health minister, KCR said: “Even I would not have done as much as Harish Rao did, had I been in his place.”
He noted that Harish Rao had brought water as well trains to Siddipet. “Once there used to be suffering and privation. We used to shed tears. But now those days are gone. There are check dams full to the brim,” he said.
The chief minister asked the people to create history yet again by electing Harish Rao to the Assembly with such a majority that the record will remain forever unbroken.
He grew sentimental when recalled his childhood and how a Mudiraj woman had breast-fed him when his mother fell ill.
సిద్దిపేటకు ఏమిచ్చినా రుణం తీర్చుకోలేను
నన్ను తెలంగాణ ముఖ్యమంత్రి అయ్యేంత ఎత్తుకు పెంచిన గడ్డ నా సిద్దిపేట గడ్డ
జననీ జన్మభూమిశ్చ స్వర్గాదపి గరీయసీ. ఈ మాట అన్నది సాక్షాత్తు శ్రీరామచంద్రుడు. జన్మభూమిని మించిన స్వర్గం లేదు. సిద్దిపేట పేరు విన్నా.. సిద్దిపేట భూమికి వచ్చినా..… pic.twitter.com/7kmKx4m14y
— BRS Party (@BRSparty) October 17, 2023
In Sircilla, a town known for handloom and power loom weavers, KCR expressed anger at those who were burning Bathukamma sarees after the government distributed them free during the Bathukamma festival.
KCR’s son and IT Minister KT Rama Rao, who is the MLA from Sircilla, has blamed the Opposition for orchestrating the saree-burning protest.
Those burning careers are doing incalculable harm to the weavers for whose benefit the government is releasing ₹300 crore annually so that they could weave sarees, KCR said.
“Who has asked you to wear Bathukamma sarees if you think they are not good,” he shot at the Opposition party leaders who were trying to incite the weavers against the state government.
He said the constituents of Sircilla should be thankful that KTR, as his son is known, is their MLA and minister.
“He had done a lot, particularly for the weavers. He had modernised looms so that the work of weavers would be not only become easy, but would also be rewarding,” the chief minister said and pointed out that he wanted Sircilla to be like Sholapur.
“We are going to win the elections and I will be with you all the time to help you lead a happy life,” the chief minister, referring to weaver community, said.
He recalled his bond with Siriclla: “I may have visited Sircilla at least 70 times. I have a number of relatives, friends and classmates here.”
He also recalled the days when weavers used to end their lives by suicide.
“I was MP when on one day seven weavers died by suicide. I mobilised some funds through party sources and sent it to some elders in Sricilla and asked them to help those who were in distress. My request to them was to ask them not to end their lives,” he said.
