HYDERABAD: Telangana IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao has said that Telangana was better than a 'neighbouring state' (Andhra Pradesh) in providing basic amenities. At a meeting organised by CREDAI in Hyderabad on Friday, Rama Rao compared the development of Telangana with that of the neighbouring state, alleging that there were no roads, electricity and water there.
"Recently, one of my friends went to his native village in a neighbouring state. After returning to Telangana, he called me and requested me to arrange four buses from each village of Telangana to the neighbouring state. I asked why he was making this suggestion. My friend said that there is no power, water and roads in the neighbouring state. Send people to that state so that people living in Telangana will realise the development here, he said. My friend said that he heaved a sigh of relief only after he returned to Telangana," Rama Rao said.
Rama Rao also said that recently a BJP MP from north India visited Hyderabad. He stayed in a hotel and went to participate in a programme at another place in the city. The MP later said that he reached his destination within seven minutes, as there were flyovers in the city and no traffic jams. He said that there were no flyovers in his state.
Reacting strongly to Rama Rao's remarks, AP Municipal Minister Botsa Satyanarayana said that he recently visited Hyderabad and stayed in a hotel. There was no power and the hotel management depended on a generator. "I never disclosed these minor issues to anyone," the AP minister said.
Another AP leader Jogi Ramesh said, "Come to AP, you can see Amma Vodi, Asara, construction of houses to 31 lakh women and other developmental and welfare programmes."