The Opposition Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) seemed concerned and criticised the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) as its founder, K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), arrived in Solapur on Monday evening accompanied by his cabinet colleagues, party MLAs, and a large convoy of supporters.
State Congress President Nana Patole referred to the BRS as the BJP's 'B' Team and stated that it would have no impact in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena (UBT) raised doubts about KCR's intentions for visiting Maharashtra, suggesting that his purpose may not be genuine.
“The BRS is BJP’s ‘B’ team and will have no impact on Maharashtra politics. People of the state know who benefits from the division of votes. In Telangana, the BRS party is facing a crisis and many of its leaders are joining the Congress party. The Telangana pattern is just as deceptive as the Gujarat pattern,” Patole said and added that the Congress has all the information about what KCR’s party has done in Telangana and soon they will start exposing the bogus Telangana pattern.
“KCR has not done any work in Telangana in 9 years. He has not done anything concrete for Dalits, tribals, minorities, backward classes. Even now, onion was said to be getting more price in Telangana, but it has come to fore that the farmers of Maharashtra were cheated when they sold onions in Telangana. The KCR government is beating the drums of the work done by them by giving big advertisements in the papers. One who works does not feel the need to advertise,” Patole added.
Patole also criticised KCR’s attempt to take political advantage of the Ashadhiwari at Pandharpur.
“Telangana Chief Minister KCR is bringing a fleet of 600 cars from Hyderabad. Given that Pandharpur has over a million warkaris gathered for Ashadhi Wari, is it right for KCR to bring more people from outside? Vithoba of Pandharpur is source of faith for all of us, it is not right for someone to take political advantage of it,” Patole said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the BRS is new version of the AIMIM and accused the BJP of sponsoring them to cut the votes of MVA in Maharashtra.
“KCR needs to make it clear who is he opposed to. He was not there with all opposition parties at Patna. In Telangana, the Congress is challenging him. But, if he is coming to Maharashtra to counter it, and if he is receiving BJP’s support, that might be dangerous,” Raut said.
Meanwhile, even as KCR, along with a huge convoy of around 600 vehicles reached Solapur at around 4 PM, the Congress said that at least 12 senior leaders from KCR’s Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) have joined the Congress at Delhi in presence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge. The leaders who joined Congress today include a former minister, two former MPs, a few former MLAs and other prominent leaders within the party.
