Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday urged supporters of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi to work toward a “Congress- and Bharatiya Janata Party-mukt Bharat”, blaming both national parties for the country’s problems, IANS reported.

The TRS chief was addressing an election rally in Karimnagar, where he launched his party’s campaign ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Telangana will vote on April 11.

“We need Congress, BJP-mukt Bharat,” said Rao. He also spoke about creating a new India where regional parties would act as the impetus to bring about a total change in the way the country is governed, The New Indian Express reported. “We need reforms in all sectors and devolution of more powers to the states. The Centre should do its job and states should do theirs,” he said. “But now, the Centre does the state’s job in several sectors, like funding roads in villages.”

The party had earlier said a clear picture of the “non-BJP, non-Congress federal front” proposed by the chief minister will emerge after the election results are out. Last year, Rao had floated the idea of Federal Front comprising regional parties opposed to both the Congress and the BJP.

Rao said his party would play a major role in shaping the country’s future and would even start a national party if the need arises. “BJP and Congress leaders try to ridicule me by asking what I would do with just 16 seats,” he said. “I have spoken to parties which share my views and they would have more than 100 seats with them.”

Rao claimed that BJP leaders considered only themselves as Hindus and did not acknowledge others who practiced the religion. “BJP leaders say they are the only Hindus. Then what is their problem if Hindus perform puja?” he asked.

At an election rally in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had criticised Rao for relying on astrologers and performing rituals.