Ramchander Rao rules out any alliance with BRS, says Cong. is spreading fuel panic

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao, on Sunday, ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the BRS party, declaring that the Bharatiya Janata Party “will not ally with the BRS under any circumstances”. He said this was his party’s “clear and final decision”.

Mr. Rao also accused the Congress government of spreading “false propaganda” about an imminent fuel shortage, asserting that there is no scarcity of petrol, diesel or gas anywhere in the country and urging citizens not to panic.

Addressing reporters at the BJP State office, he said the political mood in Telangana is shifting towards the BJP, with people “ready to give the party an opportunity” after having tried both the Congress and BRS parties in the past.

Welcoming several BRS leaders into the BJP, Mr. Rao alleged that the Congress was misleading citizens by telling them to rush to fill gas cylinders and stock up on fuel. He dismissed these claims as “baseless”, adding that they were intended to create unnecessary fear.

Referring to global tensions, he said that although there was a “conflict between the United States and Iran”, the country’s fuel supply remained stable. He accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of “spreading panic and anxiety” through his statements on fuel availability in the country.

Mr. Rao said that India’s fuel security had strengthened under the Modi government, noting that oil import sources had expanded from around 16 countries before 2014 to nearly 47 now, supported by strategic reserves and diversified contracts. He reiterated that there would be “no shortage of petrol, diesel, gas or crude oil in India under any circumstances”.

Turning to State politics, he questioned the Congress government over its unfulfilled promise of supplying LPG cylinders at ₹500 under its ‘six guarantees’. He said the party should honour commitments made to the people of Telangana and Karnataka before making similar promises in other States like Kerala.