While welcoming the Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s (TRS) transformation into Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Adviser (Public Affairs), Government of Andhra Pradesh, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, has said the emergence of new parties augurs well for democracy.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy, however, said the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) was focused on Andhra Pradesh and the welfare of its people.
Stating that he would not comment on the new entrants, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy, however, said their coming onto the national political stage was good for democracy in general.
‘Desist from criticising A.P.’
“The YSRCP has its own ideology, and it is only bothered about the development of Andhra Pradesh and nothing else,” Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said.
He further said the TRS leaders should desist from criticising the Andhra Pradesh government, and confine themselves to what needed to be done in Telangana.
Meanwhile, Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath, in a statement, termed it as a “wasteful exercise.”
“Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) or BRS will have no role in Andhra Pradesh. We are not concerned about what he intends to do at the national level as it is his choice,” he said.
BJP State general secretary S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy said KCR had become the Chief Minister by using the Telangana sentiment.
“Now, he has ditched the Telugu people in pursuit of his ambition to become the Prime Minister,” the BJP leader said in a message on the Twitter.
“KCR has blamed Andhra Pradesh for issues faced by his government in the irrigation and power sectors. Will he back off from his fight against Andhra Pradesh keeping his national interests in view?” he questioned.
‘Pretentious move’
In his reaction, BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V. Narasimha Rao said, “KCR is trying to position a regional party on the national platform. The new name may sound national, but it is only notional. The BRS will continue as a regional party.”
“The TDP also projects itself as a national party. But to what extent is it national? Moreover, KCR does not have a stranglehold over Telangana. In all possibility, he may even lose the next Assembly elections. In such a scenario, launching the BRS is only a pretentious move. It aims at misguiding the people of Telangana,” Mr. Narasimha Rao said.
He further said KCR should understand that he would be rejected in Andhra Pradesh. “KCR has always been against the development of Andhra Pradesh. He will be questioned for that in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
‘Family rule’
BJP MLC P.V.N. Madhav said the BRS was an extension of KCR’s family rule at the national level. He should have named it ‘Kalvakuntla Praja Party (KPP),” Mr. Madhav said.
Former BJP MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju wondered with whom would the BRS align at the national level. “It seems KCR has made a political blunder. He should have first strengthened his party in Telangana, where he is on the shaky ground,” he said.
