HYDERABAD: Hailing former chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao as a man of integrity, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday said that the current Congress government is ruling Telangana by taking inspiration from the founder of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Comparing NTR with the architect of the Indian constitution BR Ambedkar and former prime minister Indira Gandhi, he said: “They are our jathi ratnalu (national gems). NTR is as important as Indira Gandhi to us.”
The chief minister was addressing the gathering after unveiling a statue of NTR on his birth anniversary, at Maitrivanam junction in Ameerpet. “Some people are questioning how a Congress chief minister of Telangana and TPCC president can unveil an NTR statue. But NTR transcends region, religion, language and caste. We are ruling the state taking NTR as an inspiration. This is not a statue but an inspiration,” he said.
Revanth recalled that NTR has given many leaders to Telangana, including BRS president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“Who gave political birth to KCR?” he asked.
Indirectly referring to BRS working president KT Rama Rao, he said: “A few people are surviving by keeping NTR’s name. Fake people exist everywhere and in every era.”
The chief minister also said that the housing scheme introduced by NTR is the inspiration for Indiramma Housing Scheme introduced by him.
“Today, 3.2 crore people in Telangana are consuming superfine rice. This scheme too is inspired by NTR’s policies. Indiramma saris distribution was also undertaken with
inspiration from ‘Janata Vastralu’ scheme introduced by NTR,” he said, adding that NTR had liberated Telangana people by abolishing ‘Patel-Patwari’ system.
Reiterating that Congress will remain in power till 2034, the chief minister said: “From 1994 to 2004, TDP was in power. From 2004 to 2014, Congress was in power. From 2014 to 2024, BRS was in power. I am saying that from 2024 to 2034, Congress will remain in power in Telangana.”
“We will take the responsibility of taking development and welfare activities to global standards,” he added.
Stating that the present TDP chief and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu had developed Cyberabad, he said that the current Congress government is now developing Future City on 30,000 acres.
