“This is not a contest of showmanship but a contest of statesmanship and our CM will certainly measure up,” says TRS working president about his father and party founder K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao is confident that the proposal made by his father and party founder K. Chandrasekhar Rao for the formation of a federal gront as an alternative to the BJP- and Congress-led coalitions will become a reality after the Lok Sabha election. Emphasising that “politics is the art of the possible”, Mr. Rao spoke on the prospects of the TRS and other regional parties and the BJP and the Congress.

Which are the parties that you think will support the proposed federal front?

There are many parties in India which do not have a liking or any propensity towards BJP and Congress. Any non-Congress and non-BJP party will support it. We are in touch with Trinamool Congress, YSRCP, BJD, Akhileshji and Mayawatiji and other parties. Between us, we can get 150 seats easily and beyond that, who knows what happens.

But you won’t be able to form a government...

Don’t negate anything in politics. Politics is an art of the possible. In 2012, no one believed that Narendra Modi would be the Prime Minister. Look where he is today. So, don’t ever negate.

KCR is talking about launching a national party. In what context is he talking about it, more so when he has already floated the idea of a federal front?

In today’s India, CPI and CPM are also national parties but they can’t win more [seats] than us. So, this national party [concept] is a mere technicality. In fact, there are no national parties in India today. Barring Karnataka, BJP doesn’t have any presence in the South. How can it be called a national party? Congress too is in power in just a few States and [has] no presence in several States. They [BJP, Congress] are also regional parties in a sense. Hence, floating a party and contesting at national level is what he is probably talking about.

Is the formation of a national party a long-term plan?

Why not? On April 11, we will conclude our polls and results will be out on May 25. We will have 40 days to go and meet people and work [things] out. May be the UPA and the NDA will come to support the federal front itself.

What will you do in those 40 days between elections and the results?

We are not going to hobnob for the sake of hobnobbing. There are a lot of non-BJP and non-Congress parties which are forced to root for either of the parties for lack of choice. Why can’t that be challenged? They can group up and put up a CMP [common minimum programme].

All along, there is a perception that TRS is friendly with the BJP...

That is the perception of a section of media. Perception is created by the friends in Telugu Desam. The TDP has a stranglehold on media [in the two Telugu-speaking States].

Can we assume KCR is projecting himself as the PM candidate?

We want to bring about a change in the political discourse happening in the country. For instance, Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi are targeting each other on chowkidar and chor narrative. Is it the debate that people are really interested in? Is it the debate that the country wants? People would rather hear how jobs are not [being] created. Two crore jobs and ₹15 lakh in accounts of people [were promised] — where are they?

On demonetisation, PM said he will kill black money, but he ended up with half measures. Economic issues, farm-related issues should be at the centre stage, but they are deflected. It’s not about Bofors versus Rafale. We want a more qualitative debate in different States and cities and not rhetoric.

Isn’t KCR a bit late on taking a bigger role with such crucial debates?

We have just 17 seats. Big ambitions with these numbers may look far-fetched, but we have ample opportunities. By juggling up some numbers, we will work out a federal alternative where the discourse of the government and policies of the next government are more worth [it], in terms of people’s attention and enriching their lives. It is not about one man, or one post.

So there is a possibility of KCR becoming PM?

If I say today KCR will be the PM, it might sound far-fetched. However, I can reiterate that it is not about grabbing the top post but bringing in qualitative change. Interlinking rivers, creating more ports, more roads, more tourist destinations and how services industry can grow in India; these are the issues that we want to take to the national stage.

What are the TRS’s prospects in the election?

We are very confident of sweeping [the polls]. Mood of the people is very clear. In recent elections, we did exceedingly well. We have done very well in panchayat elections also. There is no josh in the Congress and no hosh in the BJP. There is a strong wave in favour of regional parties. Wherever there is a regional party, it’s growing: like BSP or SP. We will decimate both Congress and BJP.

You propagated for a strong leader during the Assembly election in Telangana and dismissed the Opposition alliance. But, when it comes to the Lok Sabha election, you don’t want to accept that one party with a strong leader can give better governance and are harping on a group of regional parties. Why?

It is a question of one alliance with another alliance and not one single leader. There is another alternative likely to emerge in the form of a federal front. This election is not about two leaders. There are many more leaders in India, who have better administrative capabilities. This is not a contest of showmanship but a contest of statesmanship and our CM will measure up.

Are you on the road to finishing the Congress off in Telangana?

If you are referring to Congress MLAs joining the TRS, that party should introspect why it is unable to inspire its own people. Defections or change of parties have happened in the past too, in Telagnana. From our own party, four MLCs and one MP joined the Congress. Did we make a fuss?