HYDERABAD: Accusing Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of spreading falsehoods, resorting to personal attacks and attempting to divert attention from his failures, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday challenged the former to an open debate on its unfulfilled election promises and governance record.
Stating that his contribution to Telangana’s development was known to the people, Kishan challenged Revanth to appoint a committee of senior journalists to examine allegations that he had obstructed any development project. He said he was prepared to resign if any such evidence emerged.
Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Kishan referred to Revanth’s remarks that he would not allow him to function or move freely in Telangana by saying that he had faced many chief ministers during his political career and had emerged through public movements and struggles.
Kishan: Reached Delhi with support of Telangana people, BJP workers
Kishan said he had reached Delhi with the support of BJP workers and the people of Telangana and Secunderabad, and asserted that Revanth neither had the courage nor the authority to stop him. Accusing the chief minister of practising intimidation politics, the Union minister alleged that Revanth was behaving like a “street rowdy” and said people should take note of such conduct from a person holding the state’s highest office.
Kishan said the chief minister’s repeated claims of remaining in power for the next decade reflected insecurity and frustration. He maintained that neither Revanth nor Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had contributed to the BJP’s rise at the Centre, attributing the party’s success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership over the past 12 years.
The Union minister alleged that Telangana ministers were engaged in large-scale corruption while the real estate and industrial sectors had suffered. He claimed the government was struggling to pay salaries, public debt was mounting and state lands were being sold indiscriminately.
Kishan said he did not believe in “cheap politics” and, unlike Revanth, had never switched parties for power or positions. “While I might not be as outspoken as the chief minister, I am a man of my word,” he said.
Inviting the Congress government to an open debate, he said he was ready to discuss the promises made over the past two-and-a-half years at either the Press Club or the Martyrs’ Memorial. He alleged that both the BRS and Congress had transformed a surplus state into a debt-ridden one and accused them of pursuing similar models of corruption and public deception.
Questioning Revanth’s claims of transforming Telangana within two years, Kishan asked what had changed apart from increased land sales, corruption, irregularities and publicity campaigns. He alleged that while debt had increased under successive governments, the lives of ordinary people had not improved.
Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kishan noted that Modi was set to surpass Jawaharlal Nehru as India’s longest-serving elected prime minister, completing 4,399 days in office. On behalf of Telangana’s four crore people, he conveyed his greetings and said the BJP would continue working for the state’s development under Modi’s leadership.
On Metro Rail Phase-II, Kishan said the Centre had facilitated loans even during the L&T merger process and that the proposal would be examined thoroughly. He added that Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had already granted in-principle approval.
Rejecting allegations over paddy procurement, he said the Centre had agreed to purchase 53 lakh metric tonnes of rice despite limited consumption of coarse rice in Telangana. He said several other states were also producing sufficient paddy and storage capacity remained constrained, yet procurement continued. He questioned why the state government had failed to meet procurement targets agreed with the Centre and accused the chief minister of making misleading statements.