HYDERABAD: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Tuesday urged newly elected local body representatives to stand firm against “political intimidation” by the ruling Congress. He asserted that funds provided to gram panchayats and welfare schemes like Indiramma houses are public money and not the personal property of Congress leaders.
He was addressing the newly elected sarpanches, deputy sarpanches and ward members from Khanapur and Shadnagar constituencies during a felicitation ceremony organised at Telangana Bhavan.
Taking strong objection to the alleged threats issued by Congress MLAs, Rama Rao stated: “We are witnessing a disturbing trend where MLAs are giving death threats to the electorate and elected representatives. Let it be clear: Indiramma houses and funds for development are not the personal inheritance or ‘jagir’ of the Congress leaders. They are merely trustees of public wealth. The authority to identify beneficiaries lies with the gram sabhas and sarpanches, as enshrined in the Constitution.”
The BRS working president further mocked the financial condition of the state under the Congress administration, noting that several legislators were reportedly writing to the World Bank or pleading for funds on public platforms. “When the MLAs themselves are cash-strapped, their claims of ‘granting’ funds to villages are hollow. Leaders must remember they are spending taxpayers’ money, not their personal assets,” he added.
Administrative autonomy
Rama Rao emphasised that under the five-tier governance system envisioned by Dr BR Ambedkar, gram panchayats possess administrative and financial autonomy.
He said that 70% of the central funds must be devolved directly to the gram panchayats. “No MLA or chief minister has the legal standing to obstruct this flow,” he said.