DELHI: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud launched a scathing attack on the BRS, accusing the party of large-scale misuse and destruction of government assets during its rule. Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, he said the Congress was ready for an open debate on the misgovernance under BRS.
He alleged that during BRS’s decade-long regime, precious government lands around Hyderabad were handed over at throwaway prices to organisations close to the party leadership, particularly under the influence of K.T. Rama Rao. “The BRS takes pride in looting lands like gold,” Goud remarked, adding that the people of Telangana had grown weary of the BRS’s corruption and chaos.
He also dismissed BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao’s claims of a political comeback, calling them daydreams. Goud declared that the BRS would be irrelevant in Telangana’s political landscape by the time of the next elections.
Opposition to Telangana’s Progress
Mahesh Kumar Goud criticised both BJP and BRS leaders for obstructing the state’s progress. Referring to the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) land issue, he said the property in question belonged to the state government and recalled that the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had successfully fought in court to reclaim the land after it was allotted to IMG Bharata by Chandrababu Naidu.
He accused opposition parties of spreading falsehoods about the HCU lands with malicious intent.
Commitment to BC Reservations
On the issue of Backward Class (BC) welfare, Mahesh Kumar Goud affirmed that the Congress had no hesitation in stepping up for BC rights. He demanded that Telangana BJP leaders seek an appointment with the Prime Minister to secure legal approval for the 42% BC reservation bill passed by the Telangana Assembly.
He reiterated that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and cabinet ministers were ready to travel anywhere for the sake of implementing BC reservations. Goud also highlighted the BJP’s alleged strategy of using caste and religion for political gain and accused it of conspiring against Telangana’s Muslim population.
Citing the example of Gujarat, the Prime Minister’s home state, where OBC reservations are extended to Muslims, Goud questioned the BJP’s double standards. He demanded that the Centre include the Telangana BC reservation bill in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, if it was sincere about social justice.
Mahesh Kumar Goud said true social justice for BCs could only be achieved through the Congress party. He credited Rahul Gandhi as the driving force behind Telangana’s caste survey, stating that the survey was conducted on the instructions of Gandhi by CM Revanth Reddy and his ministerial team. He added that Rahul Gandhi had also praised the success of recent BC organisations’ protests in support of the reservation bill.
Cabinet Expansion Soon
Regarding cabinet expansion, Mahesh Kumar Goud said the party was carefully considering all aspects and confirmed that a proposal was being made to include two more BC leaders as ministers.
