Hyderabad:

Telangana’s capital Hyderabad is witnessing two massive shows of strength today. While the BJP is holding its two-national executive meeting, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) organised a rally in support of Yashwant Sinha, the Opposition’s candidate for the presidential polls.

Yashwant Sinha was received by TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao at the Begumpet airport, just a couple of hours before the Prime Minister lands at the same airport.

The TRS workers took out a massive bike rally from the airport to Jal Vihar, where a meeting was organised in support of Mr Sinha’s candidature.

The Chief Minister batted for Yashwant Sinha and urged parliamentarians to support him in the presidential polls to bring a qualitative change in Indian politics.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Rao said that India’s $5 trillion economy goal has become a joke with rising inflation.

“In China, there is less talk and more action, therefore, the outcome is its pacing economy. Here all talk, no work, so no outcome, ” he said.

“Make in India is a big lie. People are losing their jobs and labourers are on the road,” the Chief Minister added.

Yashwant Sinha is also scheduled to meet AIMIM and Congress leaders separately to seek their support for the presidential elections that will be held on July 18. Mr Sinha maintains that he will be “more constitutional” if elected as President than the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Draupadi Murmu.

On the roads of the city, a poster war has broken out. While the BJP has put up cutouts and banners showcasing the achievements of the centre, the TRS has put up posters featuring KCR and Yashwant Sinha.

This is the third time in six months that Mr Rao would not receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport. Earlier, he had flown to Bengaluru in May when PM Modi visited the state to attend the 20th annual celebrations at the Indian School of Business. Mr Rao avoided meeting the Prime Minister in February as well when he was in Hyderabad to inaugurate the “Statue of Equality”

The Chief Minister has been leading efforts to forge an opposition alliance to take on the BJP in polls ahead, including the 2024 national election.

The two-day BJP national executive meeting, the first physical meeting of the party’s key decision-making body outside the national capital after a gap of five years, will be attended by BJP national president JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers of 19 states and other BJP senior leaders.

On Sunday afternoon, the Prime Minister will address a public rally at the Parade grounds in Hyderabad.