TRS rally latest updates: K Chandrashekhar Rao, during his speech, recalled the regime of Chandrababu Naidu, the former chief minister of the then undivided Andhra Pradesh. He said that people faced difficulties due to high power tariffs. A Telangana government cabinet meeting ended without any word on early polls in the state. Ministers are now headed to the venue of the Telanagan Rashtra Samithi’s rally. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) will leave at 5.30 pm and is expected to deliver his speech from 6 pm to 8 pm. After the meeting, TRS leaders Etela Rajender and Harish Rao announced the new decisions made during the meet, but remained mum about whether the state will opt for early Assembly polls, as KCR has hinted at several times. Rain has not dampened the spirits of TRS supporters gathered at Kongara Kalan in Rangareddy district. Ahead of the massive rally in Ranga Reddy district on Sunday, Telangana minister KT Rama Rao said the turnout for the rally will be something people will remember for a very long time. “It is going to be the biggest political rally ever held in India,” he said. In what is touted to be a clear indication of Telangana holding early Assembly elections this year, a special summary revision of all electoral rolls in the 199 constituencies was ordered across the state on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_5098951” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
People wait at the TRS rally venue. C Sanjay/101Reporters[/caption] For last few weeks, Rao had been dropping hints of Assembly elections being advanced. He has already declared that the party will announce the candidates in September. The state unit of Congress, however, said that KCR is going for early elections as a “last ditch” attempt to protect his party from the “rising Congress wave”. State Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has failed to fulfil a single major election promise. KCR is known to go for early polls KCR is keen to advance the Assembly polls by six months to avoid simultaneous elections to the Assembly and the Parliament. His two meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August further added to the speculation. KCR’s son and cabinet minister KT Rama Rao said the chief minister would take a final decision on early polls. Rama Rao, who is number two in the party and the government, is confident of TRS retaining power whenever the elections are held as the party enjoys full support of the people. Titled “Pragati Nivedana”, the meeting to be held at Kongara Kalan at Ibrahimpatnam on the city outskirts is expected to attract 25 lakh people. Rama Rao claims that this will be the biggest political rally in the country. According to him, TRS has 47 lakh members and if half of them turn up, the meet would be a huge success. TRS leaders are mobilising people for the meet from across the state. Arrangements were in full swing for the meeting amid allegations by the Congress and other opposition parties that TRS was misusing official machinery. They asked TRS to explain the source of funds for the event. The massive mobilisation of people is expected to hit the traffic on Outer Ring Road (ORR) as thousands of vehicles will be heading towards the venue from different entry points along ORR. Rama Rao has suggested to people not attending the meeting to stay indoors. Hyderabad High Court, while rejecting a petition to bar the meet, directed the organisers to ensure that inconvenience to public is minimised. TRS has turned the city and outskirts pink by putting up billboards, flags and posters. With inputs from agencies
TRS rally updates: KCR slams Chandrababu Naidu, recalls high power tariffs during his tenure
TRS rally LIVE updates: Following the Telangana Cabinet meet, ministers are set to leave for the rally after lunch while Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will leave at 5.30 pm. He will deliver his speech from 6 pm to 8 pm.
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KCR ends his address
KCR has ended his speech with chants of ‘Jai Telangana, Jai Bharat.’
‘Govt jobs only for locals’
The TRS chief also promised to ‘increase government income’ and ‘distribute it to the public.’ He said that he would focus on the unemployed youth, and that government jobs would only go to people from Telangana.
‘22,000 villages benefitted under mission Bhagirathi’
KCR says 22,000 villages benefitted under mission Bhagirathi. KCR says 1,300 more villages will get water in the next 10 days. Officials from 11 states have visited us to study our development plans and schemes, claims KCR. Telangana govt is providing schemes worth 2,000 crore for development of minorities, way ahead of what the central government is doing, says KCR.
‘Development in every village’: KCR
KCR calls opponents breakers of development. He cautions the public from believing the Opposition and warns that they will be ‘cheated’. KCR vows that development will be visible in every village and asks the public to kindly bestow their blessings on the TRS.
KCR hints at early polls
KCR asks if Telangana should be a slave to Delhi or have self-respect. The TRS president hints at early polls and says a manifesto committee headed by Keshav Rao will soon be formed.
All promises made in manifesto fulfilled: KCR
KCR has claimed that all the promises made in the election manifesto were fulfilled, and 76 schemes not listed in the manifesto have been implemented, The Times of India reported
Will form federal front sans BJP, Cong: KT Rama Rao
Earlier during the rally, KT Rama Rao had said that the party is confident of forming a federal front without the BJP and Congress, The Indian Express reported.
KCR recalls Kothapalli Jayashankar
The TRS chief said that the activist, popularly known as professor Jayashankar, was an ideologue in favour of a separate Telangana.
Input by Rameshbabu/101Reporters
TRS chief recalls Telangana statehood movement
The TRS leader says that in 2001, he took a decision not to step back from the movement for a separate state. He also recalled the hurdles the agitation had faced.
KCR recalls Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure
In his speech, KCR recalled the regime of Chandrababu Naidu, the former chief minister of the then undivided Andhra Pradesh. He said that people faced difficulties due to high power tariffs.
Input by Rameshbabu/101Reporters
KCR begins his speech
K Chandrashekhar Rao has begun his address to a loud applause.
Visuals of KCR at the rally venue
BJP targets TRS, accuses Telangana govt supplying free drinks to ‘supporters’
A while ago, the Congress had also shared the video to target the party.
KTR at the venue
KCR has landed at the venue of the rally
Input by Rameshbabu/101Reporters
A KTR supporter shows off his admiration for the leader through his hairdo
KCR leaves for venue
KCR has left for the venue of the rally in his chopper.
Input by Rameshbabu/101Reporters
TRS worker dies enroute to rally
TRS worker Bhikshapathi died in a road accident on his way to the Pragathi Nivedana Sabha in Ranga Reddy district’s Kongara Kalan. Bhikshapathi was from Pachammawada in Warangal. An ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh has been announced.
Input by Rameshbabu/101Reporters
Video shows alleged TRS supporters drinking on bus headed to rally
A video is being widely shared on social media, including by the Telangana Congress, in which alleged TRS supporters can be seen drinking on a bus believed to be heading to the party’s rally in Ranga Reddy district. The Telangana Congress has been alleging that TRS has paid “supporters” to attend the rally to create an impression of massive strength.
Congress continues with #KCRFailedTelangana narrative
Even as celebrations and performances continue at the venue of the TRS rally, the Telangana Congress kept up its attack on the party. Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy tweeted: “Will KCR be asking for forgiveness from the youth of Telangana at the meeting for failing to provide the 2,00,000 government jobs lying vacant & failing to create one job for every household? He has not even created one job for every village.”
Reddy also tweeted: “Is KCR wasting crores of money in conducting the #PrajaVedanaSabha to highlight how he has cheated our Muslim & Tribal brothers & sisters by not giving them the promised 12% reservation?”
KTR and Kavitha Kalvakuntla interact with reporters at the TRS rally venue
Telangana minister KT Rama Rao, or KTR as he is known, and MP Kavitha Kalvakuntla are interacting with media representatives at the venue of the TRS’ Pragathi Nivedana Sabha.
KT Rama Rao says people will remember the turnout for long
Telangana minister and KCR’s son KT Rama Rao told reporters that the turnout at the TRS rally will be “something that people will remember for a long time”. “It is going to be the biggest political rally ever held in India,” he said on the party’s “Pragathi Nivedana Sabha” in Ranga Reddy district.
Telangana irrigation minister Harish Rao arrives on stage
Telangana Irrigation Minister Harish Rao has arrived on stage, as celebrations continue off stage ahead of KCR’s address.
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
Telangana deputy CM says no decision on Assembly dissolution, early polls yet
After the Telangana cabinet meeting in Hyderabad ended, state deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihar said they had briefed the media on the decisions made as per the agenda of the meeting. “There will be another cabinet meeting soon to make more decisions.”
The Telangana cabinet met in Hyderabad amid speculation that the chief minister was planning to dissolve the state Assembly and go for early polls. But the meeting ended without a decision on the matter.
Read the full article here.
Speculations rife that Chandrashekar Rao may chair cabinet meeting on 4 September
Speculations are rife that Chandrashekar Rao may chair cabinet meeting on 4 September and the decision to dissolve the state Assembly may be taken then.
Input by T Rameshbabu/101Reporters
Telangana Congress takes a dig at Chandrashekar Rao over farmer suicides in Telangana
On Saturday, the Telangana Congress had claimed that K Chandrashekar Rao is going for early elections as a “last ditch” attempt to protect his party from the “rising congress wave.”
Separate arena for women supporters at rally venue
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
Rally to begin at 4 pm, about 25 lakh people expected to attend
The rally is expected to begin at 4 pm and News18 reported that about 25 lakh people are likely to attend the Pragathi Nivedana Sabha.
WATCH: People dance at rally venue
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
For early polls in Telangana, EC has to be on the same page
For all this to happen, the Election Commission of India has to be on the same page as KCR. Elections to three North Indian states are due in November-December, and the issue with Telangana is that the revision of the electoral rolls in the state will be completed only by January. Would it make sense for the Assembly elections to then be held in January, followed by the Lok Sabha polls three months later, resulting in wasteful expenditure of public money?
Read full article here
Documentary on KCR’s tenure as CM being played at venue
A documentary on four years of administration of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is being played at the rally venue. Local leaders claim it is the best way to reach the masses.
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
TRS feels approaching Assembly and Lok Sabha polls separately will ensure party is in better position
The TRS believes that if it tackles the Assembly and parliamentary elections separately, the party will be in a better position politically. This is because KCR will be able to convert the Assembly elections into a presidential contest where the attention is focused entirely on him. Also, if he wins the Assembly polls, the Telangana chief minister can use that momentum to position himself as one of the leaders in the reckoning for the top job at the head of a “Third Front”, if both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are not in a position to form the government at the Centre.
Lack of waste management at venue
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
WATCH: Tribal dancers from Adilabad district perform on stage to keep TRS supporters entertained and engaged.
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
Supporters arrive in large numbers at rally venue
Large number of TRS supporters have turned up for the rally. The venue becoming getting jam packed.
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters
Another Cabinet meeting to be held soon
Deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihar said that another Cabinet meeting will be held “soon” and “key decision” will be taken. With this, the suspense about whether the dissolution of Assembly will take place or not continues.
Input by T Rameshbabu/101Reporters
Telangana government announces salary hikes for ASHA workers, contract doctors
Following the Cabinet meeting, TRS leaders Etela Rajender and Harish Rao announced the new measures taken during the meet, but made no announcement about whether the state will opt for early Assembly polls or not. Here are the new sops:
1. Telangana cabinet ratifies earlier decision to enhance archakas retirement age to 65 years.
2. Hike in salaries for contract doctors from Rs 36,000 to Rs 40,000 per month.
3. Honorarium hike for ASHA workers from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,500.
4. Cabinet approves allotment of five more acres for Reddy Hostel in Hyderabad
5. Honorarium for Gopal Mitras hiked from Rs 3,500 to Rs 8,500.
6. Govt sanctions Rs 70 crore and 70 acres for construction of ‘self-respect’ buildings for different castes
7. 71 acres of land allotted to 50 percent of backward classes communities.
8. Another five acres of land allotted to Reddy’s Hostel building
9. Salaries hiked for 9,000 employees in Health department.
With inputs from Dinesh Akula and T Rameshbabu/101Reporters
TRS prepared to face elections any time, says minister KT Rama Rao
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao who is closely monitoring all arrangements at the Pragathi Nivedana Sabha said the programme would set a new benchmark for massive political parties meeting in the State.
Speaking to media persons at the venue, Rao said the people of Telangana, who have benefited through different welfare programmes and schemes of the TRS government, are arriving at the venue voluntarily as a thanksgiving gesture. With the buzz of early elections reverberating across the state, the minister said the TRS was prepared to face elections at any time.
Dismissing the Congress Party’s allegations over misuse of public money and official machinery, the minister said the Congress was involving in mudslinging as it was unable to digest the increasing popularity of the TRS among the people.
KCR to make his speech at rally at 6 pm
Following the Cabinet meet, ministers will leave for the rally after lunch while Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will leave at 5.30 pm. He will deliver his speech from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Rains stop at rally venue
After a brief spell of showers, it has stopped raining at the rally venue. The rains have been playing a spoilsport since Saturday evening. Overnight showers had left the venue partly battered with hoardings and cutouts fallen to on the ground.
Input by C Sanjay/101Reporters