'Plastic Surgery' of renaming TRS won't change its DNA: Congress takes dig at KCR's party after it changes name

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday accused Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of colluding with the Narendra Modi government and said the mere "plastic surgery" of renaming his party will not change its DNA. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, formed by Mr Rao in 2001 with the agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital, was renamed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) last week, after the Election Commission approved the change. The Congress also alleged that the BRS government in the state was "throttling democracy", after police raided the party's "war room" in Hyderabad.

Police on Tuesday raided Congress poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu's office over alleged derogatory social media posts against Mr Rao and his government. Congress' media department head Pawan Khera alleged that police acted like "goondas" while raiding the party's "war room", took away 50 computers as well as data from the office and detained Congress leaders who protested against the raid.

"They (the BRS government) are throttling democracy in Telangana. What is the difference between KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao) and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi?" he said at a press conference at the Congress headquarters here. "He (KCR) calls for various documents from the CBI when it comes to his daughter's questioning in the probe into the Delhi liquor policy, but his police raids the office without an FIR or any warrant," Mr Khera said.

Telangana Pradesh Congress chief Revanth Reddy at the presser accused the BRS government of working in collusion with the Modi government at the Centre, saying they are like two sides of the same coin. In response to a question, Mr Reddy attacked Mr Rao, saying mere "plastic surgery" of renaming his party will not change its DNA.

The people of Telangana have made up their mind to bid adieu to the state government," he claimed. Elections to the 119-member Telangana assembly is due next year. Mr Reddy said since Mr Rao has "bought" the media in the state, the Congress was using social media as a medium to bring to light the failures of the state government. "Without any procedure, people without uniform entered the Congress war room and stole our data," he alleged.

Referring to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy participating in the inauguration ceremony of the BRS office in Delhi, Reddy said he would like to tell them that the person they want to ally with is "corrupt" and is "not good".

He said the Telangana Congress will take the issue of its war room being raided to the people of the state and give a befitting reply to the chief minister. The party will also raise the issue in Parliament, Mr Reddy said.

On Tuesday, a senior police official said the Hyderabad Police's Cyber Crimes Wing raided Kanugolu's office at Madhapur in connection with a case registered over alleged derogatory remarks against the chief minister and sharing of defamatory posts against the state government and the BRS on social media platforms.

Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal had tweeted on Tuesday night: "The action of Cyberabad police in seizing the office of Sunil Kanugolu is a blatant attempt to suppress dissent."