KCR changed TRS' name to BRS on advice of 'Tantriks': Sitharaman

New Delhi, Oct 8: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, betrayed the state and changed TRS' name to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on the advice of 'Tantriks'.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was formed to realise the Telangana sentiment... at that time, it was said that funds, water and appointments (jobs) are the priorities for Telangana statehood ambition, the Union Minister said.

"It was also stated that there will be social justice and women empowerment. But, for four years from 2014 to 2018, there was not a single woman minister in the TRS government. Even after TRS's re-election, for almost a year, there was no woman minister. Apparently, women were not given representation in the Cabinet on the advice of some Tantriks," Sitharaman said.

The Minister said that when Telangana state was formed in 2014, it was a revenue surplus state.

"Today, Telangana state has borrowings of Rs 3 lakh crore with debt to GSDP ratio touching almost 25 per cent.

"On water, Kaleswaram project was supposed to have been completed with a budget of Rs 40,000 crore but this has shot up to Rs 1,40,000 crore without a proper explanation on reasons for escalation. On the third promise of jobs, the TRS government has not kept its promise and betrayed people. On all three fronts of funds, water and jobs, the TRS government has totally failed," said Sitharaman.

The Minister said that KCR, on the advice of Tantriks and numerologists, stopped going to the Secretariat, did not induct women for many years in his cabinet and now has changed party's name to BRS on Tantrik's advice.

"After failing and betraying the people of Telangana, the Telugu language, he has now launched BRS as a national party. The new party is doomed to fail," she added.