Telangana Election 2018: Opposition parties slam TRS over manifesto; allege the party of "copying" promises

New Delhi: As Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Supremo and caretaker CM of Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao surpassed opposition parties and released a partial manifesto for the Assembly elections before any other party, he was severely criticized over the promises made in the manifesto. The opposition parties accused TRS of recycling its 2014 version and even “copying” the points of their manifesto. TRS was the first to release its manifesto in which it promised a farm loan-waiver of up to Rs one lakh for farmers besides increasing assistance under the Rytu Bandhu scheme to Rs. 10,000 per annum and doubling old0age pension amounts among others. Telangana Congress Chairman N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the manifesto is a “copy” of the promises announced by the Congress in the last few months. The Congress, which has announced it would fight the December seven poll in alliance with the TDP, CPI and the Telangana Jana Samiti, and the BJP which is going it alone, are yet to unveil their manifestos. Reddy alleged that KCR has copied all the promises made by Congress and presented them as TRS manifesto because he has sensed a humiliating defeat. BJP also hit out at TRS and said that it is the second attempt of TRS to deceive the people of Telangana after the one before 2014 elections. Telangana BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao dubbed the manifesto as bogus and was quoted by PTI as saying: “TRS' 2014 manifesto now lies in the dustbin of KCR's residence, as he is work-from-home CM, because none of those promises have been delivered." CPI National General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said instead of giving unemployment allowance, the TRS government during its tenure spent a lot of money for temples and festivals, by "misusing" state budget. (With inputs from agencies)