Priyank Kharge joins KTR-Siddaramaiah debate; gets stinging retort from KTR

KT Rama Rao, citing statements from leaders of the Congress itself and news reports, responded, asking Kharge not to get carried away by the “propaganda” of Congress poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu and team.

Hyderabad: The debate over the failure of the Congress to keep its pre-poll promises, which began between BRS working president KT Rama Rao and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday saw the latter’s Cabinet colleague Priyank Kharge joining in on Wednesday, trying to portray Rama Rao’s statements as a fake narrative.

However, Rama Rao, citing statements from leaders of the Congress itself and news reports, responded, asking Kharge not to get carried away by the “propaganda” of Congress poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu and team.

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Earlier, the Karnataka IT Minister had tagged Rama Rao’s post on X (formerly Twitter) from Tuesday, on Telangana possibly going the Karnataka way with no money for implementation of promises by the Congress. Kharge stated that Rama Rao had “taken the BJP’s bait of lies and manipulation” and that the Karnataka government was coming up with a cell to combat misinformation and fake news.

In response, Rama Rao tagged multiple media reports which showed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar’s statements, on the Karnataka government’s delay in fulfilling its manifesto promise of two lakh government posts and Rahul Gandhi’s pre-poll promise of 2.5 lakh govt jobs.

“Are these statements from your leader Rahul Gandhi about employment to 2lakh Karnataka youth and from Deputy CM on empty treasury also Fake?” (Sic) he asked, also pointing out to Kharge that it was the BRS that defeated all the BJP bigwigs in Telangana including all three of their MPs, and not the Congress.

“Better be careful/prepared before you get carried away by propaganda of Sunil & team,” he added.

 

Hi Priyank Ji

Glad you too decided to join the issue.

Are these statements from your leader Rahul Gandhi about employment to 2lakh Karnataka youth and from Deputy CM on empty treasury also Fake?

Buddy, we defeated all the BJP bigwigs in Telangana including all three of their… https://t.co/jFC2nF0TgU pic.twitter.com/pkIstc5Yg5

— KTR (@KTRBRS) December 20, 2023

On Tuesday, Rama Rao and Siddaramaiah were involved in a political slugfest on X, with the former wondering whether the Congress government in Telangana would follow the Karnataka government’s ‘model’. The two traded charges over the implementation of pre-poll promises, with Rama Rao sharing a video where the Karnataka Chief Minister was seen stating that there was no money to implement the party’s poll promises.

Responding to this, Siddaramaiah said the BJP was circulating such fake edited videos and advised Rama Rao to verify the authenticity of videos before making such allegations. Rama Rao retaliated, slamming the Congress over its failure to deliver on promises made during the recent elections in Telangana and said the BRS had lost the election because the Congress had “shamelessly” misled the people of Telangana with fake promises.