Will expose Centre’s bias in Assembly, says CM Revanth Reddy
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy criticised the Union Budget 2025–26 for failing to allocate funds to Telangana and said that the issue would be raised in the Assembly to expose the Centre’s bias.
On Saturday, the chief minister chaired a meeting with ministers at the Integrated Command and Control Centre to discuss the Budget. Finance Special Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao presented details on the Budget.
During the meeting, sources said the CM strongly criticised the Centre for ignoring Telangana in the Budget. “This cannot be considered a Budget. It focused only on election-bound states and those ruled by the NDA,” Revanth said.
Sources said that Revanth emphasised the need to expose the Centre’s discrimination against the state. “Let us discuss this in the Assembly and express our opposition,” the CM said. The state government is now likely to move a resolution in the Assembly condemning the Centre’s stance towards Telangana, sources added.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka stated that the Union Budget has once again failed to address critical issues faced by Telangana. In a press release, he also pointed out that the increase in cesses would negatively impact the state’s revenue share, with the government’s reduction in customs duties being offset by the cesses.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with the CM and other ministers, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu accused the Centre of neglecting Telangana despite the state’s 5% contribution to GDP. He noted that although Telangana contributed `26,000 crore in taxes, it received no funds.
Sridhar questioned the Centre’s prioritisation of states like Bihar, AP, Delhi, and Gujarat while ignoring Telangana.
Talks held on BC reservation
The meeting also addressed increasing reservations for BC communities in local body elections and SC sub-categorisation. Speaking after the meeting with the chief minister and other ministers, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said a Cabinet Sub-Committee led by Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy will meet on February 2 and 3 to discuss the recently conducted caste census, with a Cabinet discussion on the matter scheduled for February 5.
He criticised the Union government’s treatment of Telangana in the Budget and demanded that BJP leaders explain what the state received from the Union Budget. He accused the BRS of colluding with the BJP.
The minister revealed that the meeting also addressed increasing reservations for BC communities in local body elections.
Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to SC sub-categorisation, with an announcement expected after the Cabinet meeting.