HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has alleged that BRS senior leader and former minister T Harish Rao has completely surrendered to the BJP. He claimed that Harish Rao played a crucial role in ensuring the BJP’s victory in the recent MLC elections by influencing votes against Congress, leading to its defeat.
While speaking informally to the media at the CLP office in the Assembly premises, Revanth Reddy strongly criticised both BRS and BJP, accusing them of working together behind the scenes. He alleged that BJP MPs skipped a meeting convened by Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka due to their “secret friendship” with BRS.
Caste Census and Political Dynamics
The Chief Minister asserted that the caste-based census has ensured social justice for backward communities. He claimed that both BJP and BRS only fielded backward community candidates in the MLC elections after the caste census report was made public.
Revanth Reddy also accused BRS leaders K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), K T Rama Rao (KTR), and Harish Rao of being indifferent to the plight of farmers. He alleged that they were pleased to see farmers suffer due to their opposition to the Congress government. He described KCR as an “inactive coin”, stating that discussing him any further would be pointless.
Responds to KTR’s Criticism on Delhi Visits
Responding to BRS working president K T Rama Rao’s remarks on his frequent visits to Delhi, Revanth Reddy said he was willing to visit not just 33 times but even 99 times if it benefited the state. He also announced that a committee led by Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka had been formed to address issues related to parliamentary constituency delimitation.
Revanth Reddy criticised the BRS government for prioritising the Kaleshwaram project over the SLBC project, claiming that Kaleshwaram failed to irrigate more land. He highlighted that under the Congress government, 55 lakh acres of land had been cultivated this year, calling it an unprecedented achievement.
Challenges Kishan Reddy for Open Debate
Challenging Union Minister G Kishan Reddy to an open debate on Telangana’s development and central funds allocation, Revanth Reddy said he was ready to debate alongside Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka. He proposed a discussion on how much Telangana contributed to the Centre in taxes versus how much it received in return. He further added that if Kishan Reddy could prove that Telangana received more funds than it contributed, he would personally felicitate him.
Revanth Reddy also criticised BJP leaders for contradicting themselves on the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project. He pointed out that while some BJP leaders blamed the state government for delays in land acquisition, others, including BJP leader Dr Laxman, were opposing the project altogether. He clarified that completing the Regional Ring Road was the Centre’s responsibility.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the Congress government was committed to addressing the state’s development challenges and urged Telangana’s people to recognize the political strategies of BRS and BJP.
