BJP indulging in blackmail politics: Harish Rao

He was speaking after inspecting arrangements for the Chief Minister’s public meeting scheduled to be held at Mothe on December 7.

JAGTIAL: Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party was indulging in blackmail politics by misusing Central investigation agencies such as Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax in States where the elections were scheduled.

Besides goading people to form new political parties, demoralizing local governments and other political parties in States where polls were scheduled to be held had become a routine practice for BJP, he said. Even the common public had come to know the cheap strategies of the saffron party, he said, adding that the BJP’s such tactics may work in States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but not in Telangana since the latter has a great history of several agitations against oppression.

The ED and IT were not new for the people of Telangana. Despite severe suppression and police cases being registered against the people by the Andhra Pradesh during the Statehood movement, the people of Telangana had continued the agitation under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and achieved the State of Telangana.

He was speaking after inspecting arrangements for the Chief Minister’s public meeting scheduled to be held at Mothe on December 7. He was accompanied by Welfare Minister Koppula Eashwar, MLC K Kavitha and others.

Talking to the media after the inspection, Harish Rao said Sarpanches from some taluks in Nanded district of Maharashtra had recently approached Endowment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy requesting him to merge their villages with Telangana since they were unable to get schemes such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, Kalyana Lakshmi, Shaadi Mubarak and others in that State. Though people in neighboring States had recognized and were acknowledging the good work for the welfare of people being done in Telangana, the BJP was unable to digest this, he said.

On the Chief Minister’s visit, Harish Rao informed that Chandrashekhar Rao would arrive at the district headquarters on December 7 and inaugurate the TRS party office. After laying the foundation for the medical college building, he would inaugurate the Integrated District Offices Complex and conduct a review meeting with public representatives and officials. He would also address a public meeting from 2 pm at Mothe.