The now familiar diversionary tactics of the Congress

The Congress government has been using diversionary tactics effectively since it came to power to save itself from the people’s backlash

Hyderabad: The pattern is becoming all too similar, and predictable too. Whenever the Congress government finds itself in a spot of bother, it spins off a diversionary tactic to bail itself out of the situation. This practice is not limited to a particular issue. The Congress government has been using diversionary tactics effectively since it came to power to save itself from the people’s backlash.

During the Assembly session in July, BRS working president KT Rama Rao had exposed the Congress false campaign about the State finances. Speaking on the Appropriation Bill in the House, he had disputed Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s claims, especially debts. Citing the Socio Economic Outlook 2024-25, he said the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which was Rs 4 lakh crore in 2014, increased to 14.64 lakh crore in 2023-24. He pointed out that the revenue surplus in 2014-15 was Rs.369 crore while the revenue surplus during 2022-23 was Rs 5,944 crore. The revenue surplus in this budget (2024-25) was also Rs.209 crore. How could the Finance Minister then repeatedly say that the State had gone bankrupt.

---

Sensing that the Congress was getting cornered, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy made a few comments against former Ministers P Sabitha Indra Reddy and Sunitha Laxma Reddy, courted controversy and commotion ensued, with the Speaker G Prasad Kumar promptly adjourning the session.

Similarly, after the launch of the much-touted crop loan waiver, the BRS began pointing out discrepancies in implementation of the scheme, with farmers too hitting the streets and staging protests complaining that their loans were not waived. Farmers even in Chief Minister’s constituency – Kodangal also staged protests. As things began going out of hand, came GO Ms 99, announcing the establishment of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA). HYDRAA swung into action the very next day and began demolitions of unauthorized structures in full tank level areas of different water bodies.

However, the euphoria, as usual, was short-lived, with the discriminatory approach of the agency being questioned even by the High Court and public sentiment quickly surging against the government, especially with the Musi evictions, it was Minister Konda Surekha’s turn with comments out of nowhere that dragged the Telugu film industry into the political arena. For the next 24 hours and more, with the entire film industry coming out all guns blazing against the derogatory comments of the Minister, even the national media turned its attention towards Telangana. As social media and television channels went to town with Surekha continuing with her comments even after apologising, where is Musi?