KCR, opponents engage in no-holds-barred attack
HYDERABAD: With barely three days to go for the campaigning to end for the Telangana Assembly polls, major contenders for power are engaged in a no-holds-barred attack on each other. Leading the campaign of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), its President K Chandrashekhar Rao has termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ‘liar’ and Congress President Rahul Gandhi a ‘joker’.
Congress-led People’s Front and BJP leaders are returning the favour in the same coin, branding KCR and his family members as ‘thieves’ and ‘looters’ of the newly created state. KCR is known for using choicest words in Telugu with Telangana accent to run down his rivals. Popular for his oratory skills, he often lands himself in controversies through bitter verbal attacks.
If KCR and president of Congress party’s state unit Uttam Kumar Reddy were locked in a verbal duel for last several weeks, the exchange of words intensified in recent days with the national leaders of the Congress and BJP joining the campaign.
“Is the country your father’s jagir (fief),” thundered KCR at an election rally last week targeting Modi over not allowing the state to increase reservation for Muslims to 12 per cent. At another rally, he remarked that Modi has ‘Hindu Muslim disease’.
The TRS chief was further angered by Modi’s attack on his beliefs. The Prime Minister had poked fun at KCR for relying on astrologers, ‘pooja path’ and ‘nimbu mirchi’. KCR described Modi as ‘liar’ when the latter made sarcastic remark on TRS leader’s promise to transform Nizamabad town into London.
Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other leaders are all hitting out at KCR for his family rule. They all have a common point — only KCR, his son, daughter and two nephews benefited from TRS rule.