'I told him your deeds are...': PM Modi claims KCR wanted to join NDA, he rejected his entry

PM Modi Tuesday claimed that Telangana CM KCR wanted to join NDA but he (Modi) did not let him. Speaking during a rally in poll-bound Telangana's Nizamabad, the PM said: "After the Hyderabad Municipal Elections, KCR came to Delhi to meet me. He gifted me a shawl and showed a lot of love and respect, something that is not in KCR's character. And then he said 'The country is developing under your leadership. We (BRS) too want to become a part of the NDA. Let us join NDA. And help me in the Hyderabad Municipal Elections.' I said in return that KCR, your deeds are such that Modi cannot join you."

Nizamabad:Prime Minister Narendra Modi dropped a bombshell on Monday as he claimed that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) had told him that he wanted to join NDA but he (Modi) refused to let him be part of the alliance.

Speaking during a rally in Nizamabad in poll-bound Telangana, Prime Minister Modi said: "Today for the first time I am unveiling a secret...My journalist friends should also double-check it. I am telling 100% truth. When the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections happened, BJP won 40-45 seats (says 48 after confirming with other BJP leaders), no one was in the majority and KCR needed the support. You must have seen that before the Hyderabad Municipal elections, he used to come to the airport with his entire army to welcome me. He used to welcome me with garlands and respect me a lot.

But what happened after? Why so much anger? The reason is that after the Hyderabad Municipal Elections, KCR came to Delhi to meet me. He gifted me a shawl and showed a lot of love and respect, something that is not in KCR's character. And then he asked 'The country is developing under your leadership. We (BRS) too want to become a part of the NDA. Let me join NDA. And help me in the Hyderabad Municipal Elections.' I said in return that KCR, your deeds are such that Modi cannot join you."

Modi said he "rejected the entry of KCR into NDA" even if it meant the BJP sitting in opposition in GHMC. He also claimed that in a separate visit, KCR told him that he wanted to hand over all of his "business" to his son and Telangana minister Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (KTR). "KCR told me he wants to hand over all of his business to KTR and that he will send him to me for my blessings. I told him 'KCR, this is democracy. Who are you to pass the baton to KTR? Are you a king?' The people of Telangana will decide who will be in power," Modi claimed during his address.

He said that after these purported incidents, KCR did not have the courage to "look me in my eyes even once". Modi accused the BRS dispensation of 'looting' funds meant for the development of the state. "BJP government has given huge funds to the BRS government for the development of Telangana. But unfortunately the BRS govt looted that money. Loot is their mantra," Modi claimed.

KTR reacts

Reacting to Modi's remarks, Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao told reporters that the Prime Minister "is an outright liar" and that is the reason why the BJP is called the "Biggest Jhoot Factory." "Were we bitten by a mad dog that we wanted to join the NDA? All the parties are leaving NDA nowadays. Shiv Sena has left you (NDA). Janata Dal (U) has left you. Telugu Desam has left you. Shiromani Akali Dal has left you. Who is there with you now? Besides CBI, IT and ED, who is there in India now?" he asked Modi.

PM posts his 'secret' unveiling speech on X

The Prime Minister also posted the video of his address on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: "There's a reason KCR doesn't look me in the eye! I did not agree to KCR’s request to join the NDA in exchange for BJP's support in GHMC. There's no question of supporting BRS! I also warned him against passing the baton to KTR. After all, we are a democracy, not a monarchy!"

Earlier in the day, Modi inaugurated a slew of development projects worth over Rs 8,000 crores in Nizamabad. His visit came two days after he addressed a rally in Mahabubnagar, marking the launch of BJP's campaign for the upcoming assembly polls. Nizamabad assumes political significance as Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter and sitting BRS MLC K Kavitha is expected to contest from the constituency in the 2024 Parliament elections again. She lost to the incumbent BJP MP from Nizamabad D Arvind in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.