Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister K.T. Rama Rao claimed that the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were determined to defeat Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao as they were worried that his entry into national politics would expose their ‘failed governance’ model.
“The attacks on Mr. KCR have increased ever since he announced his entry into national politics with the launch of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS). However, Mr. KCR will return to power in Telangana for the third time irrespective of the opposition parties’ dreams and efforts,” Mr. Rama Rao said.
Mr. Rama Rao was speaking after admitting Jitta Balakrishna Reddy, who joined the Congress from the BJP a few weeks ago, into the BRS along with other leaders here on Friday.
Claiming that the identity of Telangana was under attack, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi made unpalatable comments in Parliament against the formation of the State while PCC president A. Revanth Reddy had been insulting Telangana leaders saying they would be ‘begging’ in Hyderabad if Sonia Gandhi had not delivered Telangana.
“It is time for all those who participated in the Telangana agitation to condemn these comments and speak out against the BJP and Congress. Telangana was achieved by the combined struggle of people from diverse sections and not given by anyone,” Mr. Rama Rao said. He also took a dig at Mr. Revanth Reddy over comments that the latter had reportedly made in the past against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Later, a senior leader from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Ravula Chandrashekhar Reddy, who earlier represented Wanaparthy constituency, also joined the BRS.
