HYDERABAD: Invoking Telangana’s political history, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday predicted a decade-long reign for the Congress, arguing that the state, in contemporary times, has consistently given two consecutive terms to its ruling parties.
Speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by the Press Club in Hyderabad, he said this pattern would see the Congress in power until June 2034, a projection meant to counter BRS working president KT Rama Rao’s claim that his party would return to power within 500 days.
“There are still over a thousand days left in this five-year term. I don’t know how Rama Rao is calculating the remaining days, but mark my words — from today, November 9, the Congress will be in power for another eight years.
There is a possibility of Jamili (simultaneous) elections being held in June 2029 for a five-year term, which will continue until June 2034. Until then, the Congress will remain in power,” the chief minister said, adding that his goal was to implement development plans covering a hundred years within the next 10.
In a wide-ranging and fiery interaction with journalists, Revanth mixed political attacks with developmental promises and sharp jibes at his rivals — former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Rama Rao and Union minister G Kishan Reddy.
Revanth began by recalling the Congress’ pivotal role in the formation of Telangana, crediting former AICC president Sonia Gandhi for “keeping her word” despite political costs. He contrasted what he described as “10 years of development during the UPA regime between 2004 and 2014” with “10 years of destruction under BRS rule”. “KCR brought `8.11 lakh crore of untraceable debt and left the state bankrupt — even salaries couldn’t be paid by the time I assumed office,” he said.
The chief minister announced that his government would introduce a policy document in the Assembly before the commencement of the next financial year. “An expert committee is studying how the government can mobilise and utilise resources in the upcoming Budget sessions,” he said.
‘Hyderabad became pharma, IT hub due to Cong’s vision’
Turning to urban development, Revanth said Hyderabad emerged as a knowledge hub because of the policies of previous Congress governments in undivided Andhra Pradesh that balanced welfare with growth. “The pharma and IT sectors came here due to the vision of Congress,” he asserted, adding that flagship BRS projects such as Kaleshwaram, the Secretariat and the Integrated Command and Control Centre were marred by corruption.
He accused the previous BRS government of fiscal mismanagement, pointing out that the Congress had handed over a state with a `60,000 crore surplus in 2014, but received it back with a debt burden of `8.11 lakh crore. “By the time I took charge as chief minister on December 7, 2023, there was no money left even to pay government employees. KCR didn’t leave the option of taking advances from the Reserve Bank of India,” he said.
He added that his government had since made progress, achieving a record paddy yield of 2.85 lakh metric tonnes, the highest in the country.
Taking a dig at Rama Rao, Revanth urged voters in Jubilee Hills — where polling will be held on November 11 — to choose between policies that “support agriculture” and those that “promote a drug culture”.
Listing the state government’s key achievements, he cited the launch of new welfare schemes, the introduction of classification and caste census, the declaration of February 4 as Social Justice Day and the revival of the loss-making RTC. “I didn’t cancel a single BRS scheme — only added more,” he claimed.
Answering a question on the BJP’s claim that it holds a 50% stake in Telangana politics after winning eight of the 17 Lok Sabha seats, Revanth challenged the saffron party to first secure its deposit in the next Assembly elections.
Kishan, KTR obstructing devpt: CM
“If the BJP gets its deposit, it is equal to winning the country,” Revanth quipped.
He once again targeted Kishan Reddy and Rama Rao, calling them the “Bad Brothers” who have obstructed the state’s development. He went a step further, referring to Kishan Reddy as a “Ghulam of Gujarat”.
Responding to a question on BRS MLAs not meeting him even for developmental projects in the context of defections, the chief minister recalled that senior BRS leader T Harish Rao had met him on the premises of the State Legislative Assembly to discuss development works in his constituency.
He emphasised that his government does not discriminate in the allocation of funds, citing the recent sanction of Rs 2,780 crore for urban development in 138 municipalities as an example. “I am open to meeting leaders from all parties in the best interest of the people,” he said.
Clarifying the legal constraints in arresting Rama Rao in the Formula E case, the chief minister said the state government could not proceed without the Governor’s approval. Invoking Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, he explained that prior sanction from the Governor is mandatory before investigating a minister. Without such approval, he noted, courts may grant immediate bail, as seen in the case of the present Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
