Revanth Reddy asks Congress cadres to protest against KCR across Telangana

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy asked Congress workers to stage protests against BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao across Telangana, in response to the BRS campaign targeting the Congress government's 1,000-day rule, while highlighting his government's achievements.

Hyderabad: Apparently flustered by the BRS party’s decision to launch a special campaign to highlight the failures of the Congress government in its 1,000-day rule, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday sought to mount a counter-attack by asking his party workers to stage protests against BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao across the State.

In an obvious strategy to deflect attention from the BRS protest programmes, he directed the Congress cadre to demand the BRS chief’s resignation, charging that the former Chief Minister had enjoyed Rs 22 crore of public money over the last 32 months despite not attending the Assembly. He also called for bike rallies in all mandals, with the protests culminating at Indira Park on September 6.

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After inaugurating the Moosarambagh flyover, Revanth Reddy took strong objection to the BRS campaign targeting the Congress government’s 1,000-day rule. After a brief lull, the Chief Minister had gone back to using intemperate language towards his bete noire, the BRS chief, and claimed that none could draw a comparison between the two.

He claimed that the Congress government had provided 72,000 jobs within two years and spent Rs 1.70 lakh crore on farmers’ welfare during its 1,000 days in office. The Planning Commission and NITI Aayog had declared that farmers in Telangana were free of debt, he claimed.

“Despite all these achievements, the Opposition is questioning my failures during 1,000 days in office and wants to stage protests. Did I take even one hour’s leave during these 1,000 days?” Revanth Reddy asked.

The Chief Minister said he was ready for a debate on the 1,000 days of Congress rule and the 10-year governance of the BRS government in the Assembly from September 7. “I will never misuse power for personal gain or for the benefit of my family members,” he maintained, adding that governance would henceforth be like a smooth ride on a highway.

Employees’ concerns

Amid ongoing protests by government employees, Revanth Reddy said employees were occasionally threatening the government but added that their concerns were understandable. “In the last 32 months, did the government fail to pay salaries on the first day of every month?” he asked.

He said the increase in the retirement age from 58 years to 61 years had placed an additional burden on the government in paying retirement benefits. “Did I not release Rs 6,000 crore in 100 days towards retirement benefits? Did I not offer the PRC or provide Employee Health Scheme cards?” Revanth Reddy asked.

The Chief Minister blamed the previous government for the financial situation that had left the State unable to meet salary and benefit commitments. He said the government was paying Rs 7,500 crore every month towards the principal and interest on loans raised by the previous government.

RTC, women SHGs

Revanth Reddy said the RTC was not implementing the free bus travel scheme on its own and claimed that the State government was paying the ticket fares. “Women should remember that I have paid Rs 11,000 crore to the RTC. I am also providing 200 units of free power,” he said. He added that bank linkage had been extended to 60,000 women’s self-help groups and Rs 2,100 crore was paid by him as interest to banks on behalf of the women.

TIMS facilities to be renamed

The Chief Minister announced that TIMS, Alwal, would be named after former Chief Minister T Anjaiah, TIMS, LB Nagar, after freedom fighter Konda Laxman Bapuji and TIMS, Warangal, after late professor K Jayashankar.

Drawing a comparison between the political appointments made by the BRS and Congress governments, Revanth Reddy alleged that the previous government had been marked by family rule. “In contrast, I made both Ponnam Prabhakar and Vakiti Srihari Ministers. I appointed BC leader Mahesh Kumar Goud as TPCC president,” he said.