Shabbir Ali dubs KCR a U-turn CM; says TRS will join NDA

Deputy CLP leader in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has dubbed K Chandrashekar Rao as "U-Turn Chief Minister" who frequently changes his 'words' and 'colours'.

Addressing a press conference in the Assembly premises on Monday, Shabbir Ali alleged that KCR was not a man of his words and got habitual of taking U-turns. Citing examples, he said within a day after assuming charge as the Chief Minister of Telangana, KCR called for bandh opposing merger of seven mandals of Khammam with Andhra Pradesh for Polavaram project. However, he silently took a U-Turn and maintained silence while facilitating the Central Government in bringing amendment to the AP Reorganisation Act. Consequently, Telangana lost seven mandals to AP due to KCR's U-turn.

Similarly, Shabbir Ali said KCR has been blaming AP Government for causing energy crisis and accused it of denying Telangana its due share in energy. He kept people so involved in the blame game that he diverted the people's attention from the suicide committed by about 750 farmers who lost crops due to erratic power supply. The spate of suicides by farmers is still on. Yesterday alone, three farmers committed suicide. They include one in KCR's Gajwel constituency, one in KTR's Sircilla and another in Nalgonda.

"Despite this, KCR tried to incite regional feelings over the issue of sharing of Krishna waters from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. But the turn of events in the last few days have proved that KCR and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were involved in a match fixing," he alleged.

After creating a war-like situation at Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, KCR took a U-turn and surrendered Telangana's interest before Chandrababu Naidu. While accusing AP Government of utilising 43 TMC of excess water, he agreed to provide another 10 TMC for Krishna Delta. "Why KCR did not bargain for energy in lieu of 53 TMC of additional water that AP got from Nagarjuna Sagar? Was KCR was afraid of speaking before his old boss (Naidu)? What led him to take a U-turn in just 24 hours?" asked Shabbir Ali.

The Congress leader said that KCR could have discussed the issue of supply of power from Krishnapatnam, Hindujas and other power projects from where Telangana should get its share as per the AP Reorganisation Act. "KCR has been treating Telangana as his personal kingdom and taking unilateral decisions," he alleged.

Shabbir Ali also questioned KCR's sudden love for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reminding that KCR had earlier accused Narendra Modi of implementing communal agenda, he said KCR took a U-turn and started praising Modi's style of functioning. While maintaining a different stand for the last eight months, KCR developed so much of instant love for Modi that he convened a meeting with higher officials asking them to implement Swachch Bharat scheme at all levels. "There is a hidden agenda behind KCR's U-turn. He is trying to accommodate his daughter and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha in the Union Cabinet," he alleged.

The Congress leader said KCR has already accommodated his son (K Tarakarama Rao) and son-in-law (T Harish Rao) in the State cabinet and gave them budgets of about Rs 30,000 crore each. Now he wanted his daughter Kavitha to get a berth in the Union Cabinet. Therefore, he took a sudden U-turn and started chanting the 'Modi mantra'. He said KCR's proximity with Narendra Modi was not for Telangana, but for his own daughter. "The Prime Minister gave nothing for Telangana in the last nine months of his rule and therefore, there is no reason for KCR to sing praise for him," he said.

When pointed out by some reporters that TRS leaders have targeted TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy when he criticised Kavitha, Shabbir Ali said he was ready to counter any move by the TRS on this issue. He demanded that KCR clarify as to why he took U-turn on all these issues.