Revanth Reddy vows to prevent KCR's family from coming to power

Hyderabad, Dec 24 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday took a vow to prevent BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao's family from coming to power as long as he is in politics and also asserted that the Congress would form government after the next assembly elections.

Addressing a felicitation event for newly-elected Sarpanchs in his Kodangal assembly constituency, Reddy hit back at KCR for his recent remarks that he would "skin" the Congress government, also describing it as a "useless regime".

Referring to BRS working president K T Rama Rao's reported comments that the chief minister is "hiding" (following KCR's comments), the CM said he is challenging that the Congress would come to power again after the next assembly polls by winning over 80 of the 119 seats.

If the total number of seats rose to 153 following a delimitation exercise, the Congress would win more than 100, he said.

"The Congress will form a government in the state with two-thirds majority in 2029. This is my challenge. Face it if you can. I will see what your politics is. As long as I am in politics, I will not let the KCR family, which is like a poison to come to power. This is my vow. I am taking this vow as a son of Kodangal from this land," Reddy said.

"As long as I am in politics, power would be pipedream for KCR," he said.

There would be no future for BRS and it can only recollect its past, he said. The Congress is the future of Telangana, he added.

Though the Congress defeated the BRS in a series of elections, including 2023 assembly polls, 2014 Lok Sabha elections, bypolls to Secunderabad Cantonment and Jubilee Hills assembly segments and the recent Gram Panchyat polls, the BRS leaders still make false claims "without shame", he said.

Observing that assembly has been convened from December 29, he said the government would discuss any issue as per the BRS president's choice.

KCR, who has stayed away from assembly in the last two years, should attend the session this time and participate in debates instead of making tall claims in the presence of his acolytes in BRS office, he said.

On the former CM's plan to address public meetings soon against the Congress government, he said the BRS president can hold rallies or "take up rearing buffalos." "Assembly is there to take up debates. We will have meaningful debates. We will explain to people," he said.

Reddy referred to allegations that the phone of even Kavitha's husband (KCR's daughter) was tapped during the previous BRS regime. Attacking K T Rama Rao, he said the former has thrown out his sister from BRS.

Ridiculing KCR's comments that he would "skin" (expose) the Congress government, the CM said he has suggested to a "mutton shop owner in Hyderabad to provide work to the former." KCR's comments were unbecoming of a former CM, he said.

The BRS president did not complete irrigation projects, including Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu and SLBC, despite being in power for 10 years, he said.

"But, (KCR) gave bills to the tune of Rs 1.83 lakh crore to contractors in 10 years. Their family grabbed commissions to the tune of thousands of crores. (They) did not have footwear and clothes to wear (in the past). Those who used to move with torn slippers on roads got posh cars," Reddy said.

The KCR family members now also own farmhouses, he said.

Alleging that BRS president Rao, when in power, had troubled him and his family by filing a number of cases against him, Reddy said he, however, chose not to act with vindictiveness against the former after becoming chief minister.

He also said the government would provide a Special Development Fund of Rs five lakh each to small villages and Rs 10 lakh each to major Gram Panchayats which would be an addition to the funds provided by state and Central governments to the villages.

Responding to the CM's attack against KCR, BRS MLA Vemula Prashant Reddy said Revanth Reddy's comments showed his "despair and frustration".

Reddy is perturbed over BRS-backed candidates winning 4,000 Gram Panchayats in recent rural local body polls, he said in a release.

Reddy's challenges and vows have no value and people of Telangana are aware of the former's vows in the past on fulfilling Rs two lakh loan waiver, the BRS MLA said. PTI SJR SJR KH