BRS turns suspension into mock Assembly, takes potshots at Congress

With its legislators suspended from the Assembly, the BRS held a mock session at Telangana Bhavan, using satire to target the Congress government. Leaders raised issues including irrigation, jobs, power shortages, 22A lands, women’s safety and election promises.

Hyderabad: With its legislators suspended from the Assembly, the main oppositin BRS held a mock Assembly at Telangana Bhavan on Saturday, turning it into political satire, while making serious criticism of the Congress government.

Zaheerabad MLA K Manik Rao played the Speaker, while former Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav took the role of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy played the Irrigation Minister and former Minister Gangula Kamalakar played the Revenue Minister. Soon after the session commenced, BRS members also staged protests with placards on public issues.

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Opening the irrigation debate, former Minister G Jagadish Reddy alleged that Andhra Pradesh was illegally drawing water from Srisailam through Pothireddypadu, while Telangana was allowing hundreds of cusecs to flow into the sea. He credited former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao with bringing two crore acres under cultivation, filling tanks through Mission Kakatiya and providing drinking water through Mission Bhagiratha.

Interrupting him in the Chief Minister’s role, Talasani Srinivas Yadav mocked the Congress promise to implement its guarantees within 100 days. “We said 100 days, but did we say which 100 days?” he quipped, adding that the party would remain in power for 25 years and fulfil the promises “sometime”. He also joked about his problems with Delhi, his party and even the BRS. “I suggest the BRS MLAs to speak anything but subject in the House,” leaving the participants in splits.

Palla Rajeshwar Reddy who played the Irrigation Minister, further poked fun at the government, stating that he did not prepare for the debate and would speak only as advised by his Irrigation advisor. He also joked that the government would not repair the Medigadda barrage because that would give credit to former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

The mock session turned to the controversial 22A land issue, with BRS MLAs alleging that thousands of houses and lands had been placed on the prohibited list. They demanded relief for affected owners.

The exchange between BRS MLA Kalvakuntla Sanjay and Talasani Srinivas Yadav provided another comic moment. Sanjay attacked the government over jobs, alleging that the promise of two lakh jobs in the first year had not been fulfilled and that jobs provided during the BRS regime were being claimed by the Congress.
Responding as the Chief Minister, Srinivas Yadav said the promise of jobs in Ashok Nagar was made by Rahul Gandhi, but not him and told Sanjay to ask Rahul Gandhi for jobs.

The proceedings also focused on power shortages and unemployment. Vemula Prashanth Reddy demanded 24-hour power for agriculture. Ironically, the power went off while he was speaking, triggering “shame, shame” slogans from the Opposition benches.

BRS members P Sabitha Indra Reddy and V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy also raised the alleged attack on their legislators outside the Assembly, women’s safety, tribal issues and the alleged failure to implement election promises, using the mock House to argue that the government was avoiding scrutiny in the real Assembly.