Harish Rao urges Rahul, Kharge to halt proposed privatisation of Telangana PSUs

BRS leader T Harish Rao has urged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal to intervene and stop the proposed privatisation of key public-sector institutions in Telangana, including TG-TRANSCO, TG-GENCO, SCCL and the DISCOMs.

Hyderabad: BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao urged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal to intervene immediately and stop the proposed privatisation of key public-sector institutions in Telangana, including TG-TRANSCO, TG-GENCO, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and the DISCOMs. He also demanded that the State government disclose its plans for their future ownership and control.

In a letter to Rahul Gandhi, Harish Rao questioned the proposed 26 per cent equity dilution and IPO of TG-TRANSCO. He warned that the move could pave the way for the eventual transfer of strategic public assets into private hands.

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Terming TG-TRANSCO as the backbone of Telangana’s electricity network, he said its infrastructure was built over decades with public money. He questioned the government’s authority to dilute public ownership of these assets. He asked whether similar proposals were being considered for TG-GENCO, Singareni and the DISCOMs.

The senior BRS leader accused the Congress of following different economic policies in Delhi and Telangana. He cited the Congress manifesto of 2019, which favoured limiting disinvestment to non-core and non-strategic public-sector enterprises, and the party’s 2023 Raipur economic resolution, which opposed the creation of private monopolies through disinvestment.

He pointed out that Rahul Gandhi had questioned the Centre’s privatisation and monetisation policies, including moves involving strategic public-sector institutions like LIC. The same principles should apply to the Congress-ruled Telangana, he asserted.

Harish Rao demanded an immediate halt to the TG-TRANSCO IPO and equity dilution, the withdrawal of similar proposals for other strategic public-sector institutions, and a public explanation of how the moves aligned with the Congress’s stated policies. He said the Congress party’s credibility depended on implementing its declared principles, not merely adopting resolutions.