KTR dares Revanth Reddy, defected MLAs for bypolls

BRS working president KT Rama Rao dared CM Revanth Reddy to make defected MLAs face bypolls, calling it a referendum on Congress’s 20-month rule. Addressing party workers, he also attacked the government over HYDRAA, alleging blackmail and targeting of the poor.

Hyderabad: In a full throttle attack on the ruling Congress, BRS working president KT Rama Rao dared Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to ask the 10 defected MLAs to resign and contest in bypolls, if they believed that the people had approved their decision. He declared that by-elections would serve as a referendum on the Congress government’s 20-month rule.

Speaking at a massive meeting of BRS workers in Serilingampally on Sunday, Rama Rao said the Congress was rattled by the Supreme Court’s recent order on defections. Turncoat MLAs including Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi, had shifted loyalties for selfish gains, but not for people, which was why they were afraid to face the people in bypolls.

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“If Congress truly believes it is working for the people, let these MLAs resign and face by-elections. Win again if you can,” he challenged.

He said even though a few leaders have betrayed the party, the loyal activists did not abandon it, which is the party’s greatest strength.

Contrasting BRS’s decade-long rule with the Congress’s 20-month tenure, the former Minister said Chandrashekhar Rao had left behind a legacy of development and welfare. The BRS government had borrowed Rs 2.85 lakh crore in ten years, the funds were utilised to construct 42 flyovers, super-specialty hospitals, and sewage treatment plants in Hyderabad.

“Social security pensions were increased from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000. Around 70 lakh farmers received Rs 70,000 crore directly in their accounts,” he said.

Rama Rao recalled how Chandrashekhar Rao had resolved the power crisis within six months of assuming office in 2014 and governed Hyderabad without divisive politics. He recalled how the BRS got only two seats in Hyderabad in 2014, but won all seats in the 2023 Assembly elections.

“From Dasara gifts to Hindus, Ramzan hampers to Muslims, and Christmas gifts to Christians, KCR gave equal respect to all festivals. That is why Congress could not win a single seat in Hyderabad in 2023,” he said.

He stated that Revanth Reddy borrowed Rs 2.2 lakh crore in 20 months without building even a single bridge or stormwater drain. “What has Revanth Reddy done for the elderly?” he asked.

Instead of focusing on development and welfare, Revanth Reddy was engaging in frivolous and timepass politics, filing cases against Chandrashekhar Rao and other BRS leaders.

The BRS working president accused the Congress government of unleashing HYDRAA as a tool of blackmail.

“HYDRAA’s unlawful activities have paralysed Hyderabad’s real estate sector. Poor people’s homes are being razed down, while the rich escape scrutiny,” he charged, citing the suicide of a woman Buchamma in Kukatpally who feared that HYDRAA would demolish her home. He said even court orders were ignored, and houses of the poor were being demolished without mercy.

Rama Rao demanded to know whether HYDRAA would touch the illegal house of the Chief Minister’s brother Tirupati Reddy in the Durgam Cheruvu FTL zone.

“HYDRAA is functioning as a blackmail tool for Congress leaders by extorting the poor, threatening builders, and collecting illegal RR taxes. Even the Prime Minister acknowledged these wrongdoings,” he said.