BRS leaders criticise unfair treatment of Telangana in Union Budget allocations

Former BRS MP B Vinod Kumar urged Telangana Congress and BJP MPs to demand that the Centre address the injustices done to the State in the union Budget.

Hyderabad: Former BRS MP B Vinod Kumar criticised the union Budget, stating that Telangana was unfairly treated. He noted that union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention Telangana even once during her two-hour budget speech. He urged Telangana Congress and BJP MPs to demand that the Centre address the injustices done to the State in the Union Budget.

In a statement, Vinod Kumar stated that while the union government focused on completing the Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh, it neglected Telangana’s projects. He called for national status for Telangana projects and the fulfillment of promises under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, including the establishment of an IIM, a railway coach factory, and the steel plant. He emphasised the need for a stronger representation of Telangana’s needs at the national level.

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Former Minister S Niranjan Reddy echoed these sentiments, stating that national parties do not have special concern for the States, and only regional parties can safeguard a State’s interests. He pointed to the budget allocations as evidence of the failure of Congress and BJP MPs from Telangana. He highlighted that the BJP’s focus on Andhra Pradesh and Bihar in the budget is aimed at retaining power, while Telangana’s needs are ignored.

Former Minister Koppula Eshwar also criticised the BJP coalition government for disregarding the sentiments of Telangana’s people in the budget allocations. He pointed out that despite Telangana electing eight MPs each from Congress and BJP, including two union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, they failed to secure a fair share for Telangana in the Union Budget.