Khammam (Telangana): A day after the BJP's national executive meeting, the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) public meeting in Telangana's Khammam on Wednesday, largely being seen as a show of strength, saw the participation from several national leaders from non-BJP states, including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, SP chief and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav, and CPI National General Secretary D Raja.
Speaking at the event, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal observed that the people of the country would have an opportunity to oust the Modi government from power in the 2024 General Elections. He alleged that rather than the Governors of a few states who are being accused of troubling Chief Ministers of respective states, it was the Prime Minister, on whose behest the governors function.
"Everyone knows the NDA did not come to change the country, but to ruin it. The 2024 elections are an opportunity for you people. Already 10 years have passed. How long are you going to wait" the Delhi CM said.
KCR's public meeting is being seen as part of a relentless effort to build a strong alternative front to check the rise of the BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections. The BRS supremo's offensive against the BJP gained momentum amid the saffron brigade's continuing attempts to undermine the BRS hold ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in Telangana.
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Kerala CM Vijayan said the country had a 'situation' at hand. "... A political formation which wasn't a part of our national freedom struggle is in power in the country. Followers of those who tendered unconditional apologies to colonizers and promised to serve the imperial crown are at the helm of affairs today" the CM noted.
"I hope that today, in Khammam, the land of people's resistances, we will have the beginning of a new resistance, a resistance to secure the ideals that we fought for in our freedom struggle, a resistance to protect our secularism, our democracy, our Constitution and thereby our nation," he added.
Further claiming that BJP sought to undermine the integrity of the nation through efforts to "portray Hindi as the national language while sidelining all our native languages," he also accused the saffron party of trying to destroy the independence of the judiciary.
"The statement of Union Law Minister to the effect that the Union Govt should have decisive say in the appointment of judges proves that the BJP government is hell-bent on destroying judicial autonomy," said Vijayan.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the ruling regime had started counting their days in power, referring to a remark the previous day by PM Modi who had reminded the national executive meeting of time left till the 2024 General Elections.
"Yesterday, BJP accepted that only 400 days are left for them in power now. Those who start counting their days, can't remain in power. Now, only 399 days are remaining" he said.
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Meanwhile, the packed audience at the meeting was lively with chants, songs and slogans which narrated BRS' schemes to ensure farmers' welfare and hailed the national emergence of KCR. Apart from slogans of 'Jai Telangana' and 'Jai KCR' in Telugu, Hindi chants of "Ek do teen chaar, desh ke neta KCR" too were heard as the party looks to take a deep dive into national politics.
On Tuesday night itself, the Delhi, Punjab, and Kerala Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Singh Man, Pinarayi Vijayan, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, CPI National General Secretary Raja, and many national leaders reached Hyderabad to participate in the BRS public meeting. The BRS chief hosted breakfast for them at Pragati Bhavan on Wednesday.
After having breakfast, KCR along with other national leaders left for Begumpet airport from where they flew to Yadadri's Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple in helicopters. KCR, Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav, and Bhagwant Mann offered prayers and took blessings at the Lord Narasimha Swamy Temple.
