Hyderabad, May 19 (DC): IT minister K.T. Rama Rao on Friday said the “Hindutva card” would not work in elections in Telangana State.

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP tried to do politics using the Hindutva card in the state TS, they would bite the dust as no one in the country was more spiritual than Chief Minster K. Chandrasekhar Rao who performs pujas and yagams with utmost devotion, Mr Rao said.

During a media interaction at the secretariat, Mr Rama Rao rubbished reports of the TRS working as Team-B or C of BJP or the Congress.

“The TRS is an independent party. We neither fear Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi. They are not TRS bosses. Telangana people are our bosses and we are accountable and answerable only to them. Where is the need for us to work as Team-B or C for any other party?” Mr Rao said.

On Karnataka camp politics shifting to Hyderabad, Mr Rao said, “This shows how the Congress is confident of safety and security to their MLAs in the city and how well law and order situation is handled in the city.”

Mr Rao stated that 2019 Assembly elections in Telangana state will be “one-sided” and the TRS would win with thumping majority. If the TRS lost the election, he would leave politics forever, he said.

“I have challenged TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy directly that I will quit politics permanently if the TRS loses, and asked whether he is ready to do the same if the Congress loses in 2019,” Mr Rama Rao said.

“Irrespective of whether Mr Uttam or anyone accepts my challenge or not, I have firmly decided to quit politics if the TRS loses. The TRS government has done good for all sections in the state and I am confident that people would ensure victory for TRS in 2019,” Mr Rao said.