Hyderabad: BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday called on defected MLAs to resign and seek re-election if they genuinely enjoy public support. He was addressing party workers at a large meeting in Serilingampally.
KTR also challenged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to treat upcoming by-elections as a referendum on his 20-month rule. Referring to a recent Supreme Court ruling on defections, he said those who switched parties now fear voter backlash. “If they have guts, let them resign and recontest,” he declared.
Turning his attention to the HYDRAA task force, KTR accused it of serving as a tool for political blackmail under Congress leaders. He alleged that HYDRA’s unlawful actions had severely impacted Hyderabad’s real estate sector. Furthermore, he questioned whether the agency would dare to act against illegal constructions tied to influential figures, such as the house reportedly built by Revanth Reddy’s brother in the Durgam Cheruvu FTL zone.
KTR criticised the selective demolition drives, stating that homes of low-income residents were being targeted while violations by the wealthy remained untouched. He cited the tragic suicide of a woman named Buchamma in Kukatpally, who feared her house would be razed by HYDRA, as evidence of the anxiety created by such operations.
Moreover, he accused the Congress government of collecting illegal RR taxes and intimidating builders. “Even the Prime Minister had to acknowledge HYDRA’s wrongdoings,” KTR added.
Reflecting on BRS’s growth in Hyderabad, KTR credited KCR’s leadership since 2014. He highlighted the swift resolution of the power crisis, expansion of welfare schemes, and a balanced approach to religious harmony. “In 2023, Congress did not win a single seat in the city. The people chose BRS,” he said.
