The Telangana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) once again on Thursday challenged Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to a “public debate” on the quantum of funds dispersal to the State in the last eight years and claimed that as much as ₹3.3 lakh crore has been disbursed so far .
“These include funds given under tax devolution, various Centrally sponsored schemes, national highways, railway projects and so on. All the works being taken up in the villages whether it is roads or others are with the help of Central funds but the Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) government has been painting the pink colour on them to claim credit,” the party leaders charged at the “Save Democracry” protest held near the Indira Park”.
Party leaders K. Laxman, D.K. Aruna, MLAs - T. Raja Singh, Eatala Rajendra, M. Raghunandan Rao and others - converged on the venue, for which the police had initially denied permission but later relented. BJP corporators and office-bearers of various committees took part in the protest held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to highlight the "anti-democratic" act of the Speaker in ensuring that the suspensions of the three MLAs continued during the budget session despite High Court orders.
Mr. Raja Singh criticised IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao for his diatribe against the Centre and charged that the TRS leaders have become "experts" in spreading wrong formation and claiming credit for the development works even while blaming the Centre for the TS government failures. "Where is the need for a government here if this regime wants the Centre to do everything," he questioned and stated that the people are waiting to throw this "corrupt, family rule" out and vote for the BJP.
Former Minister Rajender was sure Telangana was going to be the “gateway” to the south for the BJP in the coming days as the “chapter of KCR was over”. “No one is ready to trust him anymore. His feudal attitude and deliberate insult of the Constitution will all soon come to an end. We are going to take up the campaign against this tyrant in every village across the State,” he said.
The Chief Minister now needs “political advisors” from outside only because he is sure of the people not having any “faith” in his empty rhetoric. “KCR should have quit his post after he lost the Huzurabad bypoll for putting the entire might of the state machinery to defeat me but Telangana people are made of a different mettle and elected me,” he pointed out.
He accused KCR of “snatching away” the rights of the elected MLAs by sending the BJP MLAs out of the Assembly and completing the budget session in seven days. “It shows the kind of respect he has for democratic values and traditions,” he said. Ms. Aruna said KCR has been keeping silent ever since the BJP bagged four out of five States in the recently held Assembly elections. "He went round states seeking to form fronts and tents but no one bothered about him. We are sure to form the next government in TS," she added.
