Setting stage for an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao Wednesday said free power would be provided to farmers across the country if a 'BRS-proposed government' captures power at the Centre in 2024, following polls to the Lok Sabha. Addressing the party's first public meeting in Telangana's Khammam, he said the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in Armed forces would be abolished if the BRS comes to power. The meeting, which saw a massive turnout, assumes political significance as it is the first public meeting after the TRS decided to go national by renaming itself as BRS. It also saw the participation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and CPI's D Raja. Watch Live: BRS Party's mammoth public meeting at Khammam, Telangana. #BRSforIndia #AbkiBaarKisanSarkar — BRS Party (@BRSparty) January 18, 2023 Rao further called the Centre's 'Make in India' initiative a "failure" and said welfare schemes like 'Rythu Bandhu' should be implemented across the country. He also slammed the BJP and the Congress, alleging that both the parties were responsible for interstate water issues. Telangana, where the BJP is trying to establish itself as an alternative to the BRS, will go to polls later this year. Addressing the rally first, Kerala CM Vijayan said the public meeting is being held at a time when the "democracy is under attack by those at the Centre". He also lauded KCR to have taken the initiative to bring like-minded CMs together and start a people's movement. CM Vijayan further extended his state's support to the pro-policies being taken by the Telangana government. Vijayan claimed that elected governments are being toppled and that efforts are on to portray Hindi as the national language while sidelining the mother tongues. "Imposing Hindi by doing away mother tongues threatens the unity of the country," he added. Highlighting the recent controversy over Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar's remarks on the issue of the powers of the judiciary vis-a-vis the legislature, Vijayan said that even the judiciary was under attack. Before arriving in Khammam, KCR and the top Opposition leaders visited the Yadagirigutta in two helicopters to offer prayers at a temple. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Kerala CM Vijayan, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav, CPI national general secretary D. Raja, state ministers Vemula Prashanth Reddy and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, MP Joginapally Santosh Kumar, and MLC K Kavitha were also present. Telangana’s ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on October 5 last year changed its name to ‘BRS’, heralding the party’s foray into national politics. - With PTI inputs
