BRS govt must in state to continue progress: KCR

Hyderabad: BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday warned voters that the Congress, if voted to power in Telangana in the ensuing Assembly elections, will abolish the welfare schemes such as Rythu Bandhu and free power to farmers.

KCR said that Telangana was progressing as the welfare state under the BRS rule, and no other party had the ability to continue this development. “Hence, there should be a BRS government in the state to continue the progress which the state has been witnessing so far,” he said. For the first time, the BRS chief took a direct dig at former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and former MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy alleging that the leaders were coming with money power to win the elections.

KCR addressed three election meetings at Palair, Mahabubabad and Wardhannapet on Friday.

The BRS chief asked the people to compare the situation before the formation of Telangana and 10 years after the formation. He asked them not to get confused or get influenced by others and vote with their conscience.

KCR said, “My friend Tummala Nageswara Rao says I have done injustice to him. He lost to Ajay in Khammam. While he was sitting at his home without any post or position after the defeat, I gave him the post of MLC making him the minister.

We wanted to give the ticket to Venkat Reddy’s wife after his death but when he (Tummala) requested, we gave him a ticket and people voted for him to win the byelection in Palair.

When we gave you so much, you gave a big zero. Did BRS do injustice to Tummala or did Tummala do injustice to BRS? You had five years of monopoly over the district, but you did not get a single seat for the party in the district.”

The BRS chief has also lashed out at Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy asking the people not to allow anarchic political forces. He said that these forces were trying to win elections with their money power. “Till yesterday, these leaders were saying Palair got water because of KCR but now the same leaders are saying KCR is the problem. You know who has made Lambadi tandas as Gram Panchayats,” said KCR. He has promised to provide Dalit Bandhu in the entire constituency on the lines of Huzurabad.

The BRS chief criticized the Congress leaders for their comments on the Rythu Bandhu scheme and 24-hour power supply. “A former PCC chief says Rythu Bandhu was a wasteful expenditure and wanted it to be stopped. The present PCC chief and CLP leader argue for restricting the power supply to three hours. And the PCC chief now says that there is no need to give tickets to Lambadas because Rs 1,000 and a Gudumba bottle is enough for them,” said the BRS chief, asking the people to teach a lesson to such leaders. He recalled how Prof Swaminathan appreciated him for bringing a scheme like Rythu Bandhu.

The CM asked the people to dump the Congress leaders in the Bay of Bengal for demanding removal of Dharani portal.

“Raise your hands, if you want Dharani to continue... Not only here but also on the polling day,” said the BRS chief. He recalled how 20,000 acres of Podu land rights were given to the tribals. He said that the development would continue if the BRS comes to power once again.