Hyderabad, Jun 5 (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday challenged BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao for a debate in the Assembly on his performance during the last 30 months and the latter’s rule from 2014 to December 2023.
Addressing a public meeting at Jadcharla on Friday evening after a two-day inspection of irrigation projects in the undivided Mahabubnagar district, Reddy attacked the BJP over Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis not responding to his request for a meeting to discuss the height of a barrage proposed to be built by the Telangana government on the border with the neighbouring state.
“We will request the Maharashtra chief minister and sharply criticise him. If necessary, we will bend (hime) and build the Pranahita Chevella project on Godavari river at Tummidihetti,” he said.
Launching a sharp attack on BRS, Reddy listed the Congress government’s achievements, including distribution of 15 lakh new PDS ration cards, 4.50 lakh houses under ‘Indiramma’ housing scheme, and free power up to 200 units for 50 lakh houses “If I go on talking about my performance during the last 30 months, it will be as lengthy as Ramyana or Mahabarat,” he said.
“Tell me, when should we discuss your 10-year rule and my two and a half months rule. If your name is Chandrasekhar Rao, come to the Assembly. We will debate your 10-year rule and my two and a half year rule. If I lose, I will apologise to you there itself. Otherwise, continue to confine yourself to your farmhouse,” he said.
Reddy also asked Chandrasekhar Rao, also known as KCR, if the BRS government had completed any irrigation projects during his tenure.
He threw another challenge at BRS that it should seek votes only in villages where the KCR government built houses under its double bedroom scheme, while the Congress would ask for votes in villages where houses were built under the ‘Indiramma’ scheme.
After deceiving people with its promises when in power, the BRS is now creating hurdles for the Congress government in development programmes, Reddy alleged.
“You maybe thinking that you can deceive the people of Mahabubnagar again like you did in 2009. But we will not let you even germinate in Mahabubnagar.
“Chandrasekhar Rao, note in your diary. (We will not) let your party’s flag flutter, your base (on which BRS flags are installed) would crash in Palamuru (Mahabubnagar district). Forget your party’s flag. (We) will not let a single person from your party win,” Reddy said.
Attacking the BJP over Fadnavis not responding to his request for time to discuss the height of the barrage on Godavari river, he alleged that the Maharashtra chief minister is “running away”.
He also said that BJP leaders in Telangana should make Fadnavis agree for talks.
Referring to the disputes with Andhra Pradesh over projects on Krishna river, he said it is his responsibility to get a no-objection certificate before December this year from the neighbouring state for 90 TMC water to build the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and for 20-30 TMC water for the Dindi project.
While he favours dialogue with Andhra Pradesh, KCR is trying to defame him, the chief minister claimed.
Earlier, addressing a press conference near the Karivena reservoir, Reddy slammed KCR for not completing any irrigation projects in the undivided Mahabubnagar district despite being in power for 10 years.
He alleged that KCR was only interested in “commissions”.
Reddy also said that the Congress government has resolved to complete the pending projects in the next two years.
Had the BRS government completed all the projects in Mahabubnagar during its 10-year rule, 26 lakh acres would have got irrigation facility, besides catering to industrial needs, he said.
Though the BRS government spent Rs 27,000 crore only on the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme in 10 years, it was mostly on “pumps and lifts”, he said.
“He (KCR) got commissions to the tune of thousands of crores in pumps and lifts, but did not give water to even a single acre.
“He did not even complete land acquisition, which is essential for completing any project. Even today, as per official information, all projects in this district are pending,” he said.
Reddy also said that he and his Cabinet colleagues have inspected works to complete maximum number of projects in the district in two years.
Taking a swipe at the previous BRS regime, Reddy alleged that there is no project that was started and completed by it.
The government would have procured 75 Lakh metric tonnes of paddy by the end of this season, he said, recalling his comments that the Congress government would declare a “war” on the Centre after June 15 if it failed to purchase paddy and other crops from the state.
Responding to Reddy’s charges, BRS MLA T Harish Rao said that the Congress government did nothing for Mahabubnagar in the last two and a half years.
“It is shameful that they talk about land acquisition after half of their tenure is already over. They just woke up from their deep slumber,” Rao said.
The BRS government had acquired 27,191 acres for the Palamuru Ranga Reddy project, he said. PTI SJR ARI
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)
