Hyderabad: Ending month of speculations and suspense Telangana Legislative Assembly was dissolved on Thursday paving the way for an early election in the state.
The dissolution came after state cabinet at a brief meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao passed a one-line resolution. After the meeting at his official residence the Chief Minister drove straight to Raj Bhavan and submitted the resolution to the governor ESL Narasimhan. Accepting the recommendation the Governor asked KCR to continue as the care taker Chief Minister.
A confident and gung ho KCR later declared at a press conference that he expects the fresh elections to 119 member state assembly will be held in November along with a few other states and the results to be announced in the first week of December.
Giving the reasons for opting for an early poll at least nine months before they were due, KCR said, “We decided to go to the people now to put an end to political fragility in the state caused by senseless, baseless mindless and meaningless allegations of opposition”.
He said that the opposition’s “baseless” allegations of corruption in drinking water and irrigation projects were impacting the development of the state and creating confusion.
With this curtains were brought down on the first legislative assembly of Telangana, the youngest state of India. First government of the state headed by KCR had taken oath on June 2, 2014 and the next elections were due in normal course in April-May next year.
KCR ruled out any confusion on when the election will be held. “There is no need for any confusion. I kept this to myself but the fact is that before the decision to dissolve the assembly was taken we discussed every possibility with the Chief Election Commissioner and the other election commissioners”, he said.
Chief Minister hoped that the process of the elections will start in the first week of October and polling will be held in November.
KCR said that there would be no restrictions on the working of his government henceforth. “There is nothing like care taker government in constitution. A government is a government. It is a only a moral obligation and I know my limits. Accordingly we will work”.
Releasing the list of 105 candidates of Telangana Rashtra Samiti KCR exuded confidence that the party will return to power with a minimum of hundred seats. “I have full confidence and trust in the people that they will vote TRS back to power to continue the steady growth and development of Telangana”, he said. “People of Telangana have seen me and my work over the past 20 years. They have seen what we have done in the past four years”, he said pointing out that in last four years despite being a new state Telangana created a record by achieving GSDP growth rate of 17.17% and in the first five months of current financial year growth rate of 21.96%. “No other state in the country can even touch us”, he said.
“These figures were issued by the central government which is not run by our friendly party”, he added. He said if there was corruption or misrule how such growth would have been possible. “In acknowledgement of our work Economic Times as given me the award of the Reformer of Year. Telangana was given 40 award and received international acclaim for its achievements”.
He said an unprecedented peace prevailed in the state as there was not a single communal riot, no fake encounter, no protest or fight by farmers for seeds or fertilisers, no illicit liquor dens. Crime rate was down and the women were safe and secure.
He said welfare programmes undertaken by his government were necessary to undo the damage suffered by the Telangana way of life over the last fifty years rule by Andhras.
Rejecting the allegations of opposition he said, “why fight in Hyderabad. Let us go to the people. Let them decide. We have not done our work they will reject us”, Chief Minister said.
In the list of candidates of TRS only two sitting members Babu Mohan from Andole and Odelu from Chennur were denied tickets. KCR said that the candidates for the remaining 14 seats will also be announced in a week of ten days
KCR said he was confident of a second term because of the good work done by his government over the last four years. “WE have not only fulfilled all the promises made in our manifesto but also implemented 76 other decisions including financial assistance for the marriage of poor girls of all castes and communities without any demand from the people”. He cautioned the people against letting the state slipping into the hands of corrupt and inefficient people who had no idea of the needs of the state. “Those making allegations against me were partner in the governments over the last fifty years and they did nothing for the state and its people”, he said.
Lashing out at the Congress he said, “Congress is a curse and number one enemy of Telangana state”. He recalled that it was Pandit Nehru government which forcefully merged existing state of Telangana and during Indira Gandhi rule hundreds of Telangana youth were killed for demanding separate state.
He also targeted the Telugu Desam Party as “Andhra” party and said by trying to join hands with TDP Congress was again trying to take Telangana into the slavery of Andhra. He also called Congress a “Delhi party” and warned the people against the slavery of Delhi Congress Sultanate.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi he called him “biggest buffoon” in the country and said his visits to the state will further benefit the TRS.
He rejected the criticism that the TRS was getting close to the BJP or it will have an alliance with the BJP. “There will be no alliance and the state will have triangular contest”.
He admitted that the MIM was a friendly party but there could be a friendly contest between the two parties in the elections. Giving the reason for treating the MIM as a friendly party he recalled that soon after his government was formed in the state there were attempts from Delhi to destabilise it. “Asaduddin Owaisi called me from Delhi and alerted me and unilaterally and voluntarily announced his full support to our government. We than him for this”, he said. “What is wrong in treating MIM as a friendly party”, he asked.