After a long hiatus, former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will be hitting the road to lead a movement for the protection of the state’s interests and to what he called exposing Central and state governments over irrigation projects.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief announced that a massive mass movement would be launched over the delay in undertaking Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation project across the Krishna River. He made the announcement at a press conference on Sunday after presiding over a joint meeting of the party’s executive and BRS Legislature and BRS Parliamentary Party at Telangana Bhavan.
KCR, as the former Chief Minister is popularly known, vowed to expose the Congress government in the state and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. “We have given sufficient time. Now I have decided to personally step in. There will be no niceties. We will fight to protect the interests of Telangana,” declared KCR, who had been largely inactive since losing power to the Congress party two years ago.
The BRS chief announced that the party would conduct a huge movement, touching every village in Palamuru (Mahabubnagar), Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda districts. He will also address a major public meeting. He alleged that due to the Congress government’s inefficiency, the state’s interests in Krishna and Godavari river waters are endangered.
KCR questioned the Congress government’s inaction in taking up work on Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project during the last two years. He claimed that soon after BRS lost power, the BJP-led Centre sent back the Detailed Project Report (DPR). He accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of forcing the NDA government at the Centre to stall the project.
“BJP-led NDA at the Centre has been opposing Telangana’s development from day one. After Chandrababu Naidu joined the NDA, blocking Telangana projects has become their agenda,” he said. “Out of nine Permissions, we got six permissions, including environment clearance, but once Chandrababu Naidu came to power (in Andhra Pradesh) and joined the NDA, he made the Centre send back the DPR,” KCR said and questioned the Congress government’s silence over this.
“Is there even a government in the state, or is the real estate dealing their only priority?” he asked. KCR claimed that there was all-round progress under the BRS rule. He said under the BRS rule, land values rose, and farmers lived with dignity. “Today, prices have crashed.
There are no buyers even for one acre,” he said. The former CM said under the BRS rule, Telangana was known for peace and law and order. “Today, murders are happening in broad daylight. According to NCRB, the crime rate has gone up by 20 per cent,” he said.
KCR alleged that Congress came to power by cheating people with false promises and by spreading lies and canards. The BRS chief came down heavily on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his personal attacks on him. “He constantly spews venom and every day wishes death for KCR. Can a person have so much of a grudge? Politics should not stoop this low,” he said.
KCR also ridiculed Revanth Reddy for creating a hype over ‘Future City’. “Who needs this Future City. Hyderabad was not built overnight. It has 400-year history,” he said. He remarked that Revanth Reddy’s guru is Chandrababu Naidu. “Fake MoUs won’t bring investments. If they did, Rs 20 lakh crore would have flowed into Andhra Pradesh,” said KCR, referring to the MoUs signed by Chandrababu Naidu during his previous term as the Chief Minister.