It is BJP that sent feelers for alliance in 2018: BRS' Rama Rao on PM Modi's remarks; BJP denies it
Hyderabad (PTI): Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying he nipped in the bud Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's desire to be a part of NDA, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao has said it was in fact the other way around and the saffron party had sent feelers for an alliance in 2018.
In a message posted on social media platform X on Wednesday, Rama Rao said the BRS has never allied with anyone during polls ever since Telangana was formed, despite several requests. And in fact it is the opposition that have come together setting aside their ideological differences in an attempt to defeat the "formidable" KCR.
"In 2018, 'Biggest Jhoota Party' through its State President Dr K Laxman sent feelers to ally with BRS. Could the offer have been made without the approval of his Delhi bosses? Here is the then BJP state president making a statement on record," Rama Rao said, posting some old paper clippings suggesting that the then BJP Telangana chief Laxman had said his party was ready to support BRS (then TRS) if the latter fell short of a majority in the 2018 assembly polls.
Refuting Rama Rao's comments in the post, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Laxman said they were made with ill intentions and aimed at resorting to false propaganda.
"During the GHMC polls, BRS had a tie-up with AIMIM and together they got the mayor seat BJP would never encourage or have alliance with any family run or dynastic political party," Laxman said in a statement on Wednesday.
Rama Rao, however, further alleged that "political tourists" with selective amnesia who are fabricating stories should know about the BJP's alleged overtures and said the BRS had rejected the offer outright the very next minute it was made.
Modi had on October 3 at a public rally said he had rejected a request from Chandrasekhar Rao to join the NDA, after the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections in 2020, citing his "deeds."
The PM's remarks were vehemently refuted by the ruling BRS, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a message posted on X on Tuesday, took the opportunity to reiterate that, according to him, the BRS and BJP indeed have an understanding. The prime minister has "openly accepted" what he (Rahul) had said at a rally last month that the BRS stands for "BJP Rishtedaar Samiti", Rahul Gandhi said on X.
Rama Rao in his post asked why the BRS should ally with a party (BJP) which couldn't even keep its deposit in 105 assembly segments. He added, "Why does BRS need support of BJP in GHMC elections when we had the strength to form on our own?"
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
