HYDERABAD: Chief Minster A Revanth Reddy on Monday urged the voters to deliver their verdict in the municipal elections only after comparing the Congress government’s two years in office with that of BRS regime’s 10-year loot and 12 years of discrimination by the BJP-led Union government.
Speaking to the media at his residence, the chief minister predicted that the February 11 polls will be a triangle contest between the Congress, BJP and BRS while alleging that the BRS and BJP have done nothing for the state.
He also alleged that the BJP was not taking any action against the BRS leaders because of ‘quid quo pro deals’. “Why CBI is not questioning T Harish Rao in Kaleshwaram case? Why ED is not arresting KTR in Formula E case? Because from 2014 to 2022, the BRS MPs supported the BJP in Rajya Sabha when it lacked numbers to pass Bills, including those related to farm laws, GST, triple talaq and abolition of Article 370. That’s why BJP is now protecting BRS leaders. Is it not quid pro quo?”
Accusing the Centre of showing “fiscal discrimination” towards Telangana, he said: “BJP leaders are claiming that the Centre has given lakhs of crores to Telangana. But the reality is different. For every rupee we contribute to the Union government, in return we are receiving only 42 paise in tax devolution. For every rupee, Karnataka is getting six paise, Tamil Nadu is getting 26 paise and Kerala is receiving 49 paise. On the other hand, Bihar is getting Rs 6.6, Madhya Pradesh Rs 2.9 and Uttar Pradesh Rs 2.3 for every rupee they contribute. This is nothing but injustice and discrimination by the Centre towards the southern states.”
“I want to know from Union minister G Kishan Reddy and MoS Bandi Sanjay if they have ever raised this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union government and Niti Aayog, and get this mistake rectified,” he added.
‘No special funds sanctioned to TG’
The chief minister, meanwhile, claimed that the Centre has not sanctioned any special funds to Telangana, apart from those recommended under tax devolution by the Finance Commission.
He said that the Union government was not providing funds for Telangana projects, including Musi Riverfront Development Project and Metro expansion.
Revanth also alleged that the Prime Minister was diverting all the funds and projects to Gujarat. “Because of the pressure exerted by the Prime Minister, a semiconductor park, which was supposed to be sanctioned to Telangana, was diverted to AP. Because of this, investments meant to Telangana too are being diverted to Gujarat,” he said. The chief minister also slammed the BJP-led Union government for “not fulfilling the promises made to the people of Telangana, including the national project status to Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme”.
The chief minister, meanwhile, said: “BJP is treating AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi as a god, leaving Lord Ram aside. If Owaisi is not a good person, why BJP is not restricting him? For how long will BJP seek votes by portraying Owaisi as demon?”
Targeting the BRS, he said that the pink party has no right to seek votes as it was responsible for all the problems in the municipalities. “If one or two BRS candidates win in this election, they will not attend the municipal meetings just like KCR, who is not attending the Assembly sessions,” he said.
Alleging that the BRS leaders were speaking as if they were under influence of drugs, he said: “BRS leaders looted the state for 10 years. By tapping phones, they even listened to the conversations between wives and husbands. This is nothing but mental illness. Investigation into this case revealed shocking facts like threatening business people, blackmailing, extorting money and forcing them to sell their lands at throwaway prices.”
