KCR's BRS eyeing farmer votes to make inroads into Odisha!

The Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) led by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) reportedly has plans afoot to make inroads into Odisha politics on the back of farmer votes. Recent statement from Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) Convenor, Akshay Kumar indicated so.

In fact, if reports are to be believed, the Odisha farmer leader, Akshay Kumar has met KCR to discuss partnership at political level and preparing a roadmap for BRS’ entry into Odisha.

So much so that the recent farmer agitations in Odisha are said to be backed by the BRS too.

Speaking to OTV, Akshay Kumar said, “The reason of our involvement with the BRS is their slogan, ‘Abki Bar Kisan Sarkar.’ Our primary objective is to take the farmers’ interests forward.”

“Odisha government does not pay heed to our demands. When KCR extended help for our farmers we accepted that. We will form a separate outfit to defeat the BJD and BJP in Odisha,” claimed, Seshadev Nanda, the Coordinator of NNKS.

Even Shishir Gamang, the BJP leader, who has been to the Hyderabad to meet KCR, said, “The privileges farmers are getting in Telangana are far more than what they get in Odisha.”

Meanwhile, political corridors are abuzz with speculations over whose vote share will suffer when BRS comes to Odisha.

However, the BJP, BJD and Congress in Odisha have denied any impact on them due to BRS entry.

BJP leader Surath Biswal raised questions on BRS’ credibility. “What credibility they have in Odisha. They were never with the farmers of Odisha. Their acceptance in Odisha is negligible,” he claimed.

“People are switching to BRS only for their selfish interests. Forget about Odisha, the BRS will have no impact even in Koraput,” said, Congress MLA, Tara Prasad Bahinipati.

However, BJD’s Soumya Ranjan Patnaik welcomed BRS’ decision. Taking a satirical jibe at KCR, he said, “I want an able contender in elections. If they can succeed as farmers in Odisha, they are most welcome. We will felicitate them.”

Recently, BJP’s Jayaram Pangi and Sisir Gamang met KCR in Hyderabad fuelling rumours of switch.

(Reported by Jagdis Das & Soumya Ranjan Sahu, OTV)