HYDERABAD: Accepting the challenge thrown at him by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday dared the former to an open debate on the Congress government’s “administrative failures, the plight of farmers, the ongoing agrarian crisis and the overall governance in the state”.
Speaking to reporters here, Ram Rao said: “If Revanth Reddy has the courage, let him decide the venue, time and subject of the debate. I will be there.”
The former minister also said that if he fails to expose the “failures” of the Congress government with facts and evidence, he would resign on the spot and retire from politics.
“The debate could be held in Warangal, where the Congress announced its Farmers’ Declaration, or in Ashok Nagar, where promises of employment were made to the Telangana youth. I’m ready for a debate on any issue concerning farmers or any section of society,” he said.
Condemning Revanth Reddy’s recent remarks describing Telangana as a “bankrupt state”, he alleged that if the state is facing financial distress, it is solely because of the corruption and loot by the chief minister, his family members, ministers and Congress leaders.
‘Revanth tarnishing TG’s image with his comments’
He accused Revanth of tarnishing Telangana’s image by repeatedly calling it a bankrupt state on one occasion, an AIDS patient or a cancer patient on another. “No other chief minister in the country passes such derogatory remarks against the very state he represents,” he said.
The BRS leader also claimed that Revanth Reddy had visited Delhi 72 times in just 30 months “despite repeatedly claiming that Telangana receives no respect there”.
He demanded that Revanth explain whom he was pleading with during those visits and asserted that if the chief minister was genuinely committed to Telangana, he should remain in the state for the next two-and-a-half years and focus entirely on governance.
Rama Rao also criticised the construction of a Rs 200-crore official residence while simultaneously claiming the government lacks funds.
“In the days to come, Revanth Reddy would meet the same fate as Bhallaladeva (the antagonist in Baahubali). Just as Adolf Hitler met his end despite his own beliefs, the people would bring a similar end to Revanth Reddy’s political career,” he said.
Reacting to Revanth challenging BRS president and his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao to a debate, Rama Rao said: “Revanth Reddy believes that his political stature would rise only if he holds discussions with KCR.”
