Harish Rao says Revanth Reddy is a blackmailer ruling Telangana through fear and intimidation
BRS MLA T. Harish Rao launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, accusing him of misusing state machinery and intimidating institutions ahead of the Jubilee Hills bypoll. He urged voters to reject “Congress’s harassment politics” and support the BRS.
Hyderabad: In a no-holds-barred attack, senior BRS MLA and former Minister T Harish Rao called Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy a blackmailer who was misusing State machinery, intimidating institutions and threatening citizens ahead of the Jubilee Hills bypoll.
Speaking at a ‘Meet the Press’ event at the Press Club of Hyderabad on Friday, Harish Rao said Revanth Reddy, who had a long record of using the Right to Information (RTI) Act to extort industrialists and real estate firms, was using the same tactics and spreading fear instead of governance as Chief Minister.
“Even today, Revanth Reddy is blackmailing private college managements who are seeking clearance of pending fee reimbursement dues and hospitals which are demanding release of Aarogyasri bills. He is threatening action over minor violations by sending police, vigilance or municipal officers if they protest,” he charged.
The BRS legislator also said the Chief Minister was intimidating government employees who demanded pending DAs, and harassing BRS cadre in Jubilee Hills to force them to join Congress.
“He is even threatening voters that welfare schemes will stop if they don’t vote for Congress. Is this a democracy or a monarchy? Is he donating funds from his pocket to stop welfare schemes?” he asked.
Calling Revanth Reddy a frustrated man afraid of defeat, he said the Chief Minister was making personal attacks to divert attention from his failures. “The people of Jubilee Hills will teach this blackmailer a fitting lesson,” he said.
Harish Rao questioned why the Congress government had failed to fulfill even a single promise made before the Secunderabad Cantonment by-election. “They promised 6,000 double-bedroom houses, a Rs 23 crore sports complex, and regularisation of defence lands. Where are those promises? The roads are full of potholes, streetlights don’t work, and not one rupee has been spent on development,” he said.
The Congress was now trying to woo minorities under pressure from the BRS, he said, demanding that the Chief Minister apologise for his remarks that Muslims exist because of the Congress.
“Where was the Congress when Muslims fought for freedom? He must apologise to the Muslim community,” he demanded.
Accusing Revanth of political opportunism, the former Minister questioned why the Congress was remembering late NT Rama Rao and late P Janardhan Reddy only during the Jubilee Hills bypoll. “Wasn’t it the Congress’s neglect that cost PJR his life? Why wasn’t his son given a ticket in 2023?” he asked.
Harish Rao said the verdict of Jubilee Hills would decide Telangana’s political course.
“This bypoll is not just about one constituency, but it is about the future of four crore people. No section is happy under this anarchic Congress rule. Only four brothers are enjoying power, while the rest of Telangana suffers,” he said, asserting that the Congress could be brought to its senses only if the people elected the BRS in the bypoll.
He criticised the Congress-BJP understanding in the State, alleging that both parties were colluding to weaken the BRS. He targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for talking about vote theft in Bihar and Haryana, but remaining silent about Telangana.
Condemning the police raids targeting BRS MLC T Ravinder Rao and former MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy in Hyderabad, Harish Rao said the police had turned a blind eye to the Congress-sponsored anarchy despite 20 complaints by the BRS. “Revanth Reddy has failed as Home Minister, Education Minister, Municipal Minister, and now as Chief Minister. The crime rate has risen, and reviews at the Integrated Command Control Centre are being held only for commissions,” he said.
Cautioning that if the Congress won the Jubilee Hills bypoll, the people would have to endure harassment and intimidation for three more years, he urged voters to choose between development under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s ten-year rule and two years of destruction under the Revanth Reddy regime.
