Former Union minister and Congress candidate for the Mahabubabad Lok Sabha constituency Porika Balram Naik says that the grand old party implementing its six guarantees would play a key role in it sweeping a majority of the seats in Telangana in the upcoming elections. In an exclusive interview with TNIE’s B Satyanarayana Reddy, he says that the people’s anger against the BRS, especially the Kalvakuntla family would also contribute to his own victory in Mahabubabad. The former Union minister also predicts that the BJP will lose at the Centre as the people have lost faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, according to him, has been working to create wealth for Adani and Ambani while neglecting the common man.
Excerpts from the interview:
How is your campaign going and what assurances are you giving to voters?
People understood that it’s only the Congress that can develop the country and ensure their welfare. My campaign is being received very well, with people from all sections saying that they will vote for the Congress. Wherever I go for campaigning, I am being informed of pending issues and what needs to be done to provide solace to the people. I resolve all pending problems after taking oath as MP.
What is your strength?
I have had an unblemished political career and have not been involved in any scam. I am in politics to serve the people. I have been telling the people of the development done when I was an MP and Union minister. I am also telling them of the scams of the Kalavakuntla family, their corruption and how they looted the state during the last 10 years. I am also reminding the people that the previous BRS government did not give 2BHK houses, jobs or pensions among many other unfulfilled promises. The BRS left Telangana debt-ridden. Due to question paper leak, many youths died by suicide.
When you were a Union minister, how much funds did you bring to the state? And what are the development works you can take credit for?
When I was the Union minister, I brought Rs 2,000 crore and took up many development works in the constituency. Now, I plan to address many problems like setting up the Bayyaram steel factory, getting a train service to Ramalayam and also a new railway line from Bhadrachalam station to Kovvur. An important matter is to get back the five gram panchayats merged in Andhra Pradesh as part of state bifurcation. My constituency needs irrigation schemes to provide water to fields.
How many seats do you believe the Congress will win in the state?
Congress would win at least 14 of the 17 seats in the state as people have faith in AICC leader Rahul Gandhi leadership and faith in Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy who is implementing welfare schemes. People would not vote for the BJP as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cheated the
citizens of this country by saying that he would bring back black money and distribute Rs 15 lakh to each family, which he never did.
Your views on Modi wave and the BJP’s prospects.
The saffron party does not even have candidates. Modi will face a backlash from the people as he privatised many public sector units. Modi is creating wealth for Adani and Ambani and neglecting the common man. The INDIA block, led by the Congress, is going to form the government at the Centre under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.