Talasani accuses Congress government of failing to prepare for El Niño

Former Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav criticised the Congress government over El Niño preparedness, power supply and water issues. He also questioned the graduate voter registration process for MLC elections, announcing a meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer and an intensified BRS registration drive

Hyderabad: Former Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav accused the Congress government of failing to anticipate the El Niño-related challenges. He alleged that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy lacked the foresight to address the situation and was instead focused on attacking opposition leaders.

Srinivas Yadav recalled that the Central government and various sections of society had appreciated the welfare measures implemented by the BRS government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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He said BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao had managed crises through careful planning, ensuring that people faced minimal inconvenience.

“K Chandrashekhar Rao used to assess the situation a year in advance. If there was a urea shortage, he used to stock up on huge quantities,” Srinivas Yadav said while speaking to the media here on Saturday.

In contrast, he alleged that Revanth Reddy had failed to take timely measures despite warnings from scientists and weather experts about the potential impact of El Niño. He cited the example of a neighbouring State that had purchased power at Rs 15 per unit, while the Chief Minister had claimed that electricity was unavailable for purchase in the market.

Yadav criticised Revanth Reddy for alleging irregularities in power purchases when he was in the opposition. He said the BRS government had purchased electricity at Rs 3.90 per unit. He added that people still remembered how the KCR government had ensured a reliable power supply and adequate water even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is an incompetent government that doesn’t know how to get things done, resulting in electricity and water supply issues,” he alleged.

The former Minister also questioned whether it was appropriate for anyone, particularly a Chief Minister, to speak about “black magic rituals”. He asked why the BRS was repeatedly mentioned if the Congress did not fear the opposition party. He predicted that people would vote the Congress government out of power after two years.

The BRS Deputy Floor Leader also said that only 23,000 applications had been received so far in Hyderabad district for voter registration for the MLC elections.

Describing the registration process as deeply flawed, he said people were questioning why they had to register again when they had already voted in previous elections.

“It is unfortunate that unnecessary hurdles are being created, causing hardship to the people. On Monday, we will meet the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to explain the difficulties being faced,” Srinivas Yadav said.

The BRS has decided to intensify its voter registration drive from Sunday. All eligible graduates must register as voters, he said. The party will also hold constituency-wise meetings over the next two days.