HYDERABAD: Former minister and Siddipet MLA Harish Rao has strongly criticised the Union Budget for 2025-26, claiming it prioritises political gain over the country’s collective growth. Addressing the Budget’s neglect of Telangana, he questioned why the Union government continues to focus on poll-bound states, while ignoring those that are not in the election cycle.
Rao expressed concerns that the Budget had failed to consider the inclusive development of the nation. He pointed out that the repeated claims of a “developed India” by the Centre seem hollow when political interests outweigh national progress. Rao specifically criticised the government’s decision to offer substantial benefits to election-bound states like Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Bihar, while neglecting states like Telangana, which contribute significantly to the national GDP.
He further asked whether the Union government ever plans to present a Budget that caters to the entire country. Rao questioned the absence of allocations for Telangana, despite the state having a significant presence in the Union Cabinet, with two ministers and eight Members of Parliament. According to him, the Union government’s indifference towards Telangana’s welfare was evident once again through this year’s Budget.
Rao also lashed out at the state government for its failure to secure adequate funding for Telangana. Despite repeated requests, including a letter for ₹40,000 crore before the Budget, the Congress-led government in Telangana had achieved little in terms of financial allocations, he claimed. He stressed that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s repeated trips to Delhi over the past year had yielded no results for the state.
Rao also pointed to the central government’s failure to meet promises made under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, particularly regarding the Tribal University. He accused both BJP and Congress MPs from Telangana of failing to fight for the state’s rightful share.
Reflecting on the Centre’s regional bias, he compared the favouritism shown towards Bihar—a state which has seen significant funding and infrastructure development ahead of elections—with Telangana’s plight.
Rao lamented that despite BJP and Congress MPs from Telangana, the state had received no special benefits or developmental projects, and the assurances made in the Reorganisation Act remained unfulfilled.
In conclusion, Harish Rao underscored that the BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) would continue to champion Telangana’s interests and fight for the state’s rightful share, while accusing both the BJP and Congress of abandoning the state’s welfare for political expediency.
