“20% commission government” tag haunts Congress in Telangana
Party high command upset over contractors staging a protest outside Deputy Chief Minister's chambers in Telangana Secretariat
Hyderabad: As Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka prepares to present his second full-fledged budget, political tensions within the Telangana Congress are reaching a boiling point. The State finances, particularly the controversial handling of bills, have put the government, especially the Finance Department, under intense scrutiny.
It was just at this juncture when over 200 contractors, who implemented civil works costing between Rs.1 crore to Rs.10 crore, staged a protest in front of the chamber of Bhatti Vikramarka four days ago.
They made a hue and cry in the Secretariat corridors demanding clearance of their bills pending for over a year. The allegations that a 20 percent commission was being insisted for clearing the pending bills, have caused considerable embarrassment for the Delhi leadership of the Congress party.
The party high command is taking the situation very seriously as it is worried about the Revanth Reddy regime being branded as a “20% commission government”. It has already called for feedback from its dedicated channels.
This incident is likely to be treated with utmost seriousness as it had drawn the ire of Rahul Gandhi, who is said to be deeply upset over the episode.
The bills of big contractors were being handled with priority, while those with outstanding of up to Rs.10 crore were given no importance. Though some Ministers viewed the incident as a mere security lapse, the contractors had accused not only Bhatti but also the finance secretary of selective payments.
The slogan of “20% commission government” gained traction not only in Telangana but also in Delhi, with opposition parties mounting attacks.
Interestingly, loyalists of Bhatti have attributed the episode to the tacit approval of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
They alleged that the protest inside the Secretariat would not have happened without the support of influential leaders at the top.
The Congress leadership is apprehensive that the mounting criticism against the State government would impact electoral prospects of the party in the ensuing local body elections.
In Karnataka, the Congress government is already facing a similar predicament. The previous BJP government in Karnataka, which was labelled ’40 per cent commission government’ paved the way for the Congress party accession.
Meanwhile, Bhatti Vikramarka’s confidantes are rallying around Meenakshi Natarajan, AICC in-charge of the party in Telangana, now a key figure in the party and seen as an extension of Rahul Gandhi’s presence in Hyderabad. She has been actively gathering feedback on the functioning of key departments in the State.
Neutralizing the Natarajan factor is top on the agenda of Bhatti and his followers. She is the most feared leader from the AICC at the moment and any negative feedback from her would be the proverbial last straw.